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Show Second Half of Alpine Divison Basketball League Opens Mere Tonight With Am. Fork and P. G. The second half basketball race in the Alpine division loaves little for the celler dwelling Vikings but to try and knock one of the giants of the league for a couple of loops so as to prove they are I at least the "fifth man theme." After a week's layoff from league play the boys from the Strawberry City are in top shape for the grueling chase in Utah's hottest basketball area. They'll have to be in better than top shape if they are to hold Am. Fork's Cavemen within rocket distance here Friday night. In the first game between the two schools this year at American Fork the young Vikings were pasted to the tune of 49-27. However, How-ever, Coach Earl Giles is convinced convin-ced that his charges won't be that embarassed in the game tonight. But that's what every team in the league has said: "We're going to slap the champs down tonight," only to have their ears pinned back as American Fork pinned those of the Vikings. Coach Giles not only has conceded con-ceded American Fork the district championship, he is ready to bet doughnuts to spudnuts that the Cavemen reach the finals in the Class B tourney at Salt Lake City in March. A review of the Vikings' downward down-ward spiral during the first half shows that they were a good "country" ball club in first half play. In games with Lincoln, Lehi, and B. Y. Highs the scores at half time were only one and two points apart. It is a fact that the youngsters were unable to hold up against seniors and juniors on other squads, with juniors jun-iors and sophomores on their own team. One summer of growth and setting will spell the difference between a winning team and a cellar position team. Scores , for the. first half vw: American Fork 49, V. G. 27: Lincoln Lin-coln 37, P. G. 25; Lehi, 53, P. G. 38; BY High 44, P. G. 31. Coach Giles stated that during the week's layoff the boys have , developed more confidence in their I shooting, and the pressure of x-I x-I pecting to be a winning team has settling to one of studied coolness. "All the boys have shown improvement. im-provement. Merlyn Allred at guard is now back in fine shape and is developing into a good field general. gen-eral. Sophomore Kyle Kirk at forward, is getting back his basket bask-et eye and playing the floor in a adept manner. Bernell Ostler, forward is one of the most improved impro-ved men on the squad and Sherm Fraughton is looking better with every practice," Coach Giles said. He also said that Leo Johnson is coming around after having had a broken nose, and will see a lot of work at forward during the second half. Other boys who are making great strides are Dee Lauder at center; Gerald Walker at guard; Don Liston at center; Sterling Walker at guard and Merlin Swenson. "If the boys can just hold up in the second half of the ball game like they have in the first half with every team with the exception except-ion of American Fork, the people of the area are going to get a pretty good preview of what my boys will be next year when they are seniors and juniors a year more of growth and experience," the Duke predicted. Tuesday night the Vikings go to Lincoln High for a return game, and on the following Friday Lehi comes to Pleasant Grove to complete the year's schedule, between be-tween the two schools. |