Wyoming Overtime Vicotr Over Redmen In Title Test, 52-47

by Jim Jennings

Putting their branding irons on the toughest lot of Redmen ever to get off a Brooklyn reservation, Wyoming's Cowboys corraled the national intercollegiate basketball championship by defeating St. John's, 52-47, in a drama packed overtime game before 18,316 fans in a benefit game for the Red Cross at the Garden last night.

Georgetown, finalist against Wyoming for the NCAA title, overwhelmed Toledo, runner-up for the invitation championship, 54-40, in the opening game.

Only a whacky script writer, with a phobia for constant thrills, could have written anything to equal last night's title fray which the Indians sent into a five-minute overtime when that giddy gnome, Hy Gotkin, stole the ball and passed it to Al Moschetti, who dead-locked the match with ten seconds to play at 46-46, when he split the cord with a one-hander.

While the crowd went berserk, Ken Sailors, the Cowboys brilliant basketeer, took the pass-out. Dribbling, dodging and dashing as only this snaky athlete can, Sailors whizzed under the basket, jumped high into the air and dunked a southpaw one-hander for an apparent last second clincher since the whistle concluded the game ended just as the ball fell through the hempen.

While his mates hugged and patted the joyful Sailors, Referee Pat Kennedy, his cheeks aflame, blew violent blasts on his whistle.

Goal Nullified

With a modicum of quiet restored, Kennedy started a near riot by announcing that Sailors' goal was null and void because St. John's had requested time out the split second that Moschetti knotted the count.

This seemed like a reprieve for the Indians but it merely prolonged their agony.

Big Jim Weir personally settled the Redmen's goose by scoring five of the six points the Cowboys tallied in the extra period.

Milo Komenich, the Westerner's 6 ft. 7 in. center, shaded "Boy Mountain" Harry Boykoff, the indian's 6 ft. 9 in. ace, both on offense and defense. Komenich, who went out on personals in teh last minute of regular play, was high scorer with 20 points. Boykoff was second best with 17 and repeatedly came through when the Indians needed tallies.

Sailors, the best player seen on the Garden court this year, not only ran the Indians dizzy with his change of pace, but like Boykoff delivered when his teammates needed some markers. He scored 11 and Weir 13.

Sailors, right, steals leather from Moschetti near St. John's basket.