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Show Duchesne Will Most Altamont In Season's Opener; Tahiona Travels ToCougarland Favored Utes May Lose Star; First Game 6:45 A very active pre .season basketball basket-ball season has ended by high schools in the Uintah Basin, and players, coaches, students and fans are geared for the grand opening op-ening of league play this week. Tomorrow night, Jan. 6, Union will be' host to Tabiona, and Altamont Al-tamont travels to Duchesne to get things going. Uintah draws-a draws-a bye. The sportscasters on the Des-eret Des-eret News-Telegram about ten days ago reviewed the different schools' problems, which included major losses from last year, and listed new players that are reported re-ported on the squad for 1956. They also stuck their necks out by picking who will win the honors and the' order other teams will finish. The Utes from Uintah are picked as the team most likely to represent this area in the March "B" tournament, with Altamont, Al-tamont, second; Union, third; Duchesne, fourth, and Tabiona in fifth. Suffered Loses In the event Veloy Eaton, Uintah's Uin-tah's nominated player for all-state all-state honors, recovers from a serious ser-ious illness he sustained nearly two weeks ago, and is able' to return to the Ute lineup, they could easily fulfill the' prediction and successfully defend the honors hon-ors they won in '55. However, with Eaton out of the lineup, Uintah has a green, inexperienced team, and to win the top honors, would not be done without a real battle. They'll miss Eaton, which is a tough loss if he is unable to finish out his senior year. When Union's Snellen Johnson, star center who was looking mighty sharp in the few preseason presea-son games he participated in, broke his ankle early in December, Decem-ber, Union's chances of a winner suffered a terrific shock one that it is doubtful they will recover re-cover from sufficiently to bring home a winner. However, Coach Glen Allred has a lot of good kids, and if they start to function, they could easily be the dark horse. So far the Cougars have failed to look very impressive as an offensive team, but have shown considerable strength defensively.. Altamont Could Win It's not a bad prediction to' place Altamont at the top of the heap if Vernal's Eaton is out for the season. Coach Ken Bearden has a strong bunch of kids with experience, and if they perform like-they are capable of, it might be the Longhoms' year. Up at Duchesne, Coach Jerry Christensen lost all of his topflight top-flight starters of last year with the exception of Acel Muse, a strong kid who plays a lot of basketball, bas-ketball, at center. The Eagles are deep in numbers, and with a little (Continued on Back Page) BASKETBALL SEASON. . . (Continued rrom Paee 1) experience under their belts, might make lots of trouble for all comers. com-ers. A brand new coach, Mickey Culleton, has taken over at Tab-iona. Tab-iona. He wasn't able to do much in the' way of fining up pre-season games for the Tigers, so they probably won't be quite as ready for league play as their oponents. However, that all-junior team of last year, are seniors now, and should be a wiser and more steady ball team. So, anything might happen hap-pen and probably will. You Pick The Winner Picking winners before' the season sea-son begins is a past-time' that is being left to the daily paper sports writers, and you fans. This is the only prediction coming from this corner "1956 should be a banner ban-ner years for athletics in the Basin." I Following is the complete sched-' sched-' ule for league play as released 'sometime ago by the Uintah Basin Bas-in Administrators: (Preliminary games start at 6:45 pjn. with-"B" teams competing, com-peting, and "A" games are set for 8 o'clock. This is general throughout the division.) January 6 Tabiona at Union Altamont at Duchesne' (Uintah bye) January 13 Altamont at Uintah Duchesne at Union (Tabiona bye) January 20 Uintah at Tabiona Union at Altamont (Duchesne bye) January 27 Uintah at Duchesne Tabiona at Altamont (Union bye) February 3 Union at Uintah Duchesne at Tabiona (Altamont bye) February 10 Union at Tabiona Duchesne at Altamont (Uintah bye) February 15 (Wed.) Uintah at Altamont Union at Duchesne .(Tsbi003 bye) , r February if Tabiona at Uintah Altamont at Union (Duchesne bye) February 24 Duchesne at Uintah Altamont at Tabiona Union at Grantsville (Non-League) March 2 Uintah at Union Tabiona at Duchesne (Altamont bye) |
