• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1962-01-12_Vol27_No11_04

The Western Carolinian SECTION Sports Corner By C. W. HOPPER Sports Editor At long last the students of WCC have something to shout about. One of our athletic teams is sporting a winning record. As of this writing the 1961-62 basketball team, coached by the capable, clever and sometimes over-enthusiastic Jim Gudger is sporting a 9-4 record, and shows no signs of letting up for some time to come. Before the Christmas holidays, the Cats surprised even the most ardent observer and sports critic by upsetting favored Howard College of Birmingham, Alabama, and Pfeiffer College of our own Carolina's Conference to win the Western Carolina Holiday Basketball Tournament going away. After nearly a two week layoff, the Cats came back to win the Spindale Rotary tournament with victories over Wofford and Erskine on two successive nights. Last week, the Jerry Wells led Lenoir Rhyne Bears dumped the Cats by a mere two points, 61-59 in a hotly contested ballgame in Reid Gym. Wells, cool as a cucumber under fire, sank two free throws in the final seconds to ice the victory for the visitors. With thirteen straight conference games before them, perhaps the Cats are showing some of the spunk and determination that winners are made of. Cats Surge Into Contention Cats Take Title 67-64 Mel Gibson hit a layup to tie the game at 60-60 in the fading seconds of the contest and then the Catamounts went on to a 67-64 overtime victory over Erskine. The win enabled the Catamounts to win the annual Spindale tournament championship. The Catamounts gained a 7 point lead in the first half only to see Erskine reduce the lead on quick baskets by Tuttle and Hancock. Mel Gibson was high scorer for the Catamounts with 15 points. Western Carolina capatilized on free-throws making 17-20. TOTALS WCC Murray Seal Lavelle Gibson Tharpe Craig Benson Gustafson Home Erskine Hiller Tuttle Walters Hancock Helms Gordan Ellis F 1-1 2-3 6-6 1-2 6-6 0 0-0 1 0 0-0 0 1 0-0 1 2 1-2 2 T 11 a 14 18 12 0 o 2 5 25 17-20 21 67 YOUNG, DETERMINED TEAM . . . The Catamounts, as a team, strike this writer as being a very determined and dedicated ball club. Perhaps they've heard some of the rumors about them being "a year away", or "too inexperienced". At any rate, they are driving, shooting, rebounding and playing with the confidence of a team that knows they can produce. Led by Melvin Gibson, MVP in the WCC Holiday tourney, and Danny Tharpe, the Cats have a scoring punch that can stick with the best in the league. Tommy Lavelle, Darrell Murray and Gaston Seal give the Cats perhaps the best rebounding trio in the conference, and who can deny Gaston Seal, MVP in the Spindale tournament, the credit of being a real workhorse, playmaker and team man? Overall, the Cats have the potential to be a winner in a big way. But, right now, we're all proud of 'em. G 7 4 4 (> 0 1 1 F 3-6 9-11 0-1 7-10 1-3 0-0 0-0 Lavelle Stars, Cats Whip ACC Big Tommy Lavelle, 6-8 center, controlled both backboards and tossed in 18 points Saturday night to lead the Western Carolina College Catamounts to a 60- 48 basketball victory over Atlantic Christian in a Carolinas Conference Contest. The win was Western Carolina's eighth overall and Second in circuit play. For the Christians, the loss was their sixth straight in loop action against no wins. The Christians jumped to an early six-point lead before the Catamounts could find the range. Jerry Ashworth and Ray Smith led the visitors in this early assault. But with eight minutes remaining in the first half, Mel Gibson broke a 12-12 tie and sent the Cats out front for the first time in the game. The Cats wound up out front at halftime, 26-23. Darrell Murray opened the second half for the Catamounts with four quick field goals and from that point the Cats were never headed. Ashworth with 16 and Smith and Jerry Johnson with 11 each were high for the loosers while Lavelle's 18 points took scoring honors for the game. Danny Tharpe's 14 points and Murray's 13 aided the winner's cause. Atlantic Christian G F P 22 20-28 12 64 Stinson Ashworth Smith Fillingame Johnson Hussey Haywood Rogers Parham Eskew 2 H Ii 1 6 1 0 1 0 0 0-0 0-0 5-5 0-1 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-2 0-0 0-1 LR Downs Cats, 61-59 Lenoir Rhyne broke Western Carolina's six game winning streak as Jerry Wells dropped in two free-throws with 12 seconds remaining to give the Bears a 61-59 Carolinas Conference victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts. Wells led the scoring for Lenoir Rhyne with 18 points, but scoring honors were taken by Western Carolina's accurate shooting Mel Gibson who hit for 23 points. The game was close from start to finish. At one point, midway in the first half, Western Una opened up an eight-point lit the Bears had whittled it to two points by halftime. The Bears cut loose in the second half outscoring the Catamounts 43-39. Lenoir Rhyne hit on 12 of 18 shots from tin for a torrid 67% in the second half. Lenoir Rhyne jumped 57-53 with three minutes remaining to play, but Western Carolina gunned its way back to a 57-57 tie. With the score tied 59-59, Darrell Murray fouled Wells and the tall forward hit the game winning free-throws. Name WESTERN CAROLINA COLLEGE VARSITY ROSTER 1961 - 1962 Pos. H W Age CI. Home Town No. Blue Ribbon Shoe Shop Factory Worn Shoes Expert Shoe Repair PHONE JU 6-2457 SYLVA, N. C. HENSLEY & HOOPER RECAPPING New and Used Tires Snow and Mud Tires phone JU 6-2619 Ask About Student Discount MEAD CORPORATION Sylva Division CAROLINA'S CONFERENCE Jerry Wells scored 33 points and pulled down 17 rebounds as Lenoir Rhyne defeated Appalachian 85-75 in a Carolina's conference basketball game. Wells hit 11 of 15 shots from the floor, and the same number from the free-throw line. As a team, the Bears hit 31 of 58 field goal attempts for 53 per cent. Lenoir Rhyne jumped off to a quick lead, led by 10 points at the half, and finished with a 10 point edge. The victory was the eighth in 12 games for Lenoir Rhyne, and the fifth victory in six conference games. Appalachian has won only two of seven games. Wayne Duncan paced Appalachian with 23 points. ECC - ELON Charlie Lewis hit three quick field goals midway of the second half to give East Carolina a 5 point lead, and the Pirates hung on for a 67-65 victory over Elon in a Carolina's Conference basketball game. The loss was the first in conference play for Elon, after four victories. ECC now is 4-2 in conference play. Elon took a 45-44 lead midway of the second half after trailing at intermission 36-27. Then Lewis hit his three goals and the Pirates were ahead to stay. Abbey - Catawba Belmont Abbey gained a 9 point lead in the first half and played Catawba even the rest of the way for a 63-54 basketball victory. Jim Lytle's hot first half, in which he scored 17 of his 23 points, enabled Belmont Abbey to lead at intermission 30-21. Then Joe Mcdermott took over the scoring duties for the Crusaders with 13 last half points for a total of 16 including 11 in a row when Catawba was threatening. John Garrison was Catawba's leader with 10 points, and sophomore John White came off the bench to throw in four goals in the last two minutes. Catawba had a 21-19 edge in field goals but Belmont Abbey nailed its sixth victory in eight starts by hitting 25 of 34 free throws, including 10 straight by Mcdermott. Catawba converted 12 of 18 free throws. WCC Gibson Tharpe Murray Lavelle Seal Craig Benson Gustafson 20 8-11 15 48 G F P T 3 4-4 1 4 6-8 4 6 1-1 3 8 2-2 2 1 2-3 0 0 0-0 0 1 0-0 0 0 0-0 0 23 8-11 10 60 Lenoir Rhyne Wells Burton Wiles Deeham Holbrook Ehlers Team TOTALS WCC Gibson Tharpe Murray Lavelle Seal Gustafson Craig TOTALS C 5 8 B 2 1 3 0 F 9-12 2-2 0-0 2-4 0-0 0-0 0-0 Darrell Murray F 6-5 190 19 2 Gaston Seal F 6-4 190 20 3 Dave Green F 6-5 175 18 2 Richard Kemp F 6-3 170 18 2 Bill Benson F 6-2 195 20 2 Ronald Craig F 6-2 180 21 3 Tommy Lavelle C 6-9 220 18 2 Bill Guftafson C 6-8 205 18 2 Bruce Peterson G 6-1 175 20 3 Mel Gibson G 6-3 175 20 3 Danny Thorpe G 6-0 165 18 2 Roy Tharpe G 6-1 170 20 2 Bill Home G 6-2 170 18 2 Elwood, Indiana 25 Middleton, Indiana 30 Richman, Indiana 21 Passaic, N. J. 12 Plattsburg, N. Y. 24 Newton, NN. C. 22 Charleston, S. C. 31 Brentwood, N. Y. 23 Asheville, N. C. 13 Rockingham, N. C. 20 Cocoa, Florida 10 Cocoa, Florida 14 Swannanoa, N. C. 11 24 13-18 16 61 F 5-6 3 3-4 3 9 4 0-0 2 8 2 3-6 5 7 4 2-3 1 10 0 0-0 0 0 1 0-0 0 2 23 13-19 12 59 SPORTS WRITERS WANTED * * See C. W. HOPPER Sports Editor * • WESTERN CAROLINA COLLEGE Remaining 1961-62 Basketball Schedule DATE OPPONENT PLACE Catamounts Top Guilford 68-63 Western Carolina College's Catamounts turned back a desperate Guildford College rally in the closing minute of their game at Guilford Monday night to register a 68-63 Carolinas Conference basketball victory. Leading 68-55 on baskets by Mel Gibson and Danny Tharpe, and two free-throws by Ron Craig, the Catamounts had all they could do to contain the Quakers ensuing surge which saw four field goals pull Guilford within striking distance before the buzzer sounded the end of the game. The victory left Western Carolina with a 3-2 mark in loop play and a 9-4 record overall. For Guilford it was its seventh circuit loss in eight games. The Quakers overall mark is 4-7. With 6:20 left in the half Tharpe tied the ball game up 18-18. Fred Rabb put the Quakers out front again 19-18 on a free throw. But the Catamounts slammed back with a 12-point explosion which enabled them to lead at halftime, 32-22. Tharpe and Murray shared scoring honors with 18 points each for the Cats, while Gaston Seal chipped in with 13. John Burwell and Wayne Wyckoff led the losers with 16 points each. FOLLOW Jan. 11, 1962 Jan. 15, 1962 Jan. 17, 1962 Jan. 20, 1962 Jan. 26, 1962 Jan. 27, 1962 Jan. 31, 1962 Feb. 3, 1962 Feb. 7, 1962 Feb. 10, 1962 Feb. 14, 1962 Feb. 17, 1962 Appalachian East Carolina Catawba Pfeiffer East Carolina Atlantic Christian Lenoir-Rhyne Elon High Point Guilford Appalachian Elon Boone, N. C. Cullowhee, N. C. Cullowhee, N. C. Misenheimer, N. C. Greenville, N. C. Wilson, N. C. Hickory, N. C. Cullowhee, N. C. Cullowhee, N. C. Cullowhee, N. C. Cullowhee, N. C. Elon College, N. C. TIME 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 8:00 THE wcc Gibson Tharpe Murray Lavelle Seal Craig Benson Peterson Guftafson TOTALS Guilford Kuzma Wyckoff Ward Alldred Burwell Turlington Milner Rabb Parker Updegraft TOTALS F 0-2 2-3 2-4 1-4 3-3 0 3-3 1 1-1 0 0-0 0 0-0 "CATS n IN THE COLLEGE BRAND ROUND-P? P R I Z E 8 28 12-20 19 68 G 4 6 5 0 6 0 0 1 0 1 23 17-27 18 63 F P T 5-9 4 13 4-6 4 16 1-2 5 11 0-0 0 0 4-5 3 16 0-0 0 0 0-0 0 0 3-5 0 5 0-0 1 0 0-0 1 2 TOTALS 23 17-2 9r PROFESSIONAL DRUG STORE Nationally Advertised Drugs and Cosmetics PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS Gas For Less at Sylva Hi-Way Service Xires — Tubes — Wash Grease — Batteries — Oil Dave Stevens—Owner Sylva, N. C. FIRST PRIZE—1 Webcor - Stereofonic Console Phonograph SECOND PRIZE—1 Philco - (FM) Table Radio WHO WINS: 1st Prize will be awarded to any group, fraternity, sorority or individual accumulating the highest number of points. 2nd Prize will be awarded to any group, fraternity, sorority or individual accumulating the second highest number of point*. RULES: 1. Contest open to all students. 2. Each empty package submitted on Marlboro, Parliament or Alpine will have a value of 5 points. Each empty package on Philip Morris Regular or Commander will have a value of 10 points. 3. Closing date, time and location where empty packages must be turned in will be indicated in your campus newspaper. 4. Entries will not be accepted after closing time. Empty packages must be submitted in bundles of 50. Separate your 5 and 10 point packages. Get on the BRANDW/ ••.it's lots of fun!

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina Teachers College
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1962-01-12;
  • Date digitized: 2017-09-25
• Extent
  • Dimension: 21.5" x 16"
  • Pages: 4 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1962-01-12_Vol27_No11
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library