| Show Defending Wildcats Loaded This Year Editors Editor's tote This Is another another In a series of articles analyzing basketball prospects In Utah high schools throughout the state By Jack Schroeder PROVO Dec 8 There 8 There was a time when basketball championships championships championships champion champion- ships could be won in consecutive consecutive consecutive tive years and fans following Utah high school sports are arc keeping an eye on the thc B B. B Y quintet the defending defending defending de de- de- de fending state class B champions As is the case with state champs the road this 49 1948 season will be the most difficult imaginable with plenty of power in the Alpine loop that is enough to frighten any prep mentor I But Coach Rex Olsen in his first year of teaching the cage sport is facing the new season with anything but pessimism And well he might for the starting five for forthe forthe forthe the Wildcats is a very formidable outfit Its It's headed by nobody less than Harold Christensen the brilliant center who is certainly one of the finest players In the state Hes He's the greatest prep prize to come of high school ranks in years Back from last season also is Norm Chris Chris- the shot hot-shot guard who ho won several games for the B. B Y lads with his shot long-shot accuracy In addition the Wildcats will have ha Don McIntosh a smooth- smooth working forward and Ja Jay Ballif the guard possessing the most unusual unusual unusual un un- usual shot in Utah basketball A new lad has been added to the list and Olsen is undoubtedly happy happ to see Tom Karen a Canadian Canadian Canadian Cana Cana- dian youth cast his lot with the Wildcats Karen stands over 6 feet and will add badly needed height to the champs He is a good re- re bounder and looks to fit it in well inthe inthe in inthe the 1949 club The only two losses from the championship club are Lamar Rawlings and Bob Kirkpatrick While these two men will be missed in this years' years outfit the losses are arc not expected to lessen the effectiveness of the team with the appearance of the new men Theres There's no doubt about the rugged basketball league this season The Alpine division will have one of the hottest races in history with Pleasant Grove the from last season boastIng boastIng boastIng boast- boast Ing one of the most powerful clubs in many a year Therefore the B. B Y lads will have to keep hustling all season even to get to the state ment Its It's a cinch that the Wildcats Wildcats Wild Wild- cats will possess the same smooth- smooth working passing attack that won the state championship The B B. B Y quintet has practically the same equipment that won the state title Regardless of oC what happens In this difficult business of or winning basketball games there can be no doubt of the potent potential al strength of the Wildcats Maybe they wont won't repeat as champions but they will willbe willbe willbe be the most fighting ball club in inthe inthe inthe the state It was this same sort of oC spirit that carried them to their first state title last season |
