1 / r. Ai 4, mi THE BATTAUON Gagers seek rebound, repeat of history in no record in IS ■nwlWag K*U in* mmmmm mt 19*1, 1 . on tlM 19T1 ffio dnk «m 14-1S a^oc. jronr Inter thoy wot win thoy bo chainpn. In otbor words A«- / or ■ ' Rick Duplantia thoy opon Um soaoon with tbs UniTonity of Californio at Loo Anyoios (UCLA) In Doconibor. Loot yonr'a S-1T mark, only tho oocond loslnc campai»n in ooron trios Cor Conch Sholby Motcnlf, cam# at tho and of pre dictions that ranged fro mtho Antes to bo ofthor tho cham pion or a major contender for tho Sonthwoot Conference tHlo. Bat tho ^Aartes found thom- oohroo nestled in seventh place in the eight team circuit and minus a standout player. In tho past it had boon Carroll Brous sard. Bonnie Lenox, John Boasly and most recently Mike Heit- mann that gave the Aggies tbs consistent SO point performance. Last year it wasn't there. Metcalf, whoso teams own a couple of Soutbweet Conference titles, tore second place finishes and a third in seven yean, will seek to put the Aggies back in in 1M7 bad developed into cham pions by their senior season. Last year's group was paced by several sophomores, the most prominent of which eras the league’s sophomore of the year, 0-7 Jeff Overhouse. Overhotme averaged 1SJ points and R.7 points to rank second on the squad behind Steve Niles. Niks, one of four departed seniors, eras drafted by the New York Knickerbockers of the Na tional Baaketball Association in that ka^be's annual collegiate player draft. Besides Overhouse, who could see action at either post this fall, the Aggies got timely support especially in the oocond half of the see son from first year play ers, Charlie Jenkins. Bob Gobin and Wayne Howard. Howard, after seeing very lit tle action in the early part of tho season duo to a misunder- ^ stenting with Coach Metcalf, fta- iohod tho ooaoon with an 114 av erage hi SWC gam so ao the ' former high school AU-Aosericaa at Spring Branch Moaoorial hod scored only 17 points la part- time duty in • non Is ague coa- Jenkins took over the point post and scored at an average of 7J during league play. His play was valuable late in the campaign as the Aggies had to fill the point post that came open when senior Pat Kavanagh miss ed the last half of the season due to a back injury. Gone also are seniors Bill Cook sey and Chuck Smith, who shared their moments of glory and along with Niles were mem bers of the 1969 championship squad. Gobin, noted for his aggres sive style of play, passing and ballhawking defense, hopes to improve on his shooting which produced 54 per ganp. . Another sophomore ^rom last year’s squad was Bill O’Brien, but the 6-0 pointman who team ed with Howard at Memorial, is not returning this fall as he is ■0 .* js Charlie Jenkins Bobby Thread gill Bob Gobin Wayne Howard V ■ i , \ since CADE FORD 1309 TexmsAve. Bryan.Texas 77801 transferring to McNesss State. . 6-7 Rick Duplantis and 6-3 Bobby Thrsadgill are the only returning senior* for the Aggies and, like their counterparts, had their moments but as the case was didn't have enough of them. Duplantis, bothered early last ssassa with a knee injury that was recuperating from surgery, chipped for a 7.5 average in scor ing and 44 rebounds per game. His .496 shooting percentage ranked among the loop’s leaders. Coach Metcalf and assistant Jim Culpepper went hunting for the big gun and felt that the quickest help might be the jun ior college route where the Bay lor Bears have benefited greatly and the Texas Christian Univer sity Horned Frogs found a con ference champion. Culpepper — spending numer ous hours searching the midwest, northeast and west and fighting with the powers such as Drake, USC and Jacksonville and just about everybody else —- picked up two junior college stars. The most prominent of them is 6-2 Mario Brown from Ken nedy King Junior College in Chi cago. Brown, a prolific driver, will fight along srtth Gobin, Jenkins and freshman Bobby McKey for the point position. Brad Pauling from Glendive Junior College in Montana Is 6- 5 and will be in the battle at the high post and at the wings when practice starts in October. The Aggies have added five freshman recruits to the list but have six prospects coming up from last year’s 7-5 squad to battle for the varsity. Most prominent among the sophomores-to-be is 6-6 Randy Knowles, who will be trying for a wing or poet job and McKey, a firry competitor at’ the point. McKey, from Dallas Thomas Jefferson was impressive with his leadership, quickness and a good shooting eye. Knowles, from Geneva, Ohio, is an out- standing outside shooter as he led the Fish with an 16-point av erage last season. Other prospects from the Fish are 6-3 Jo* 'Arciniega at a wing post, and 6-6 postmen Johnny Mayo and Jack Vest. Mark Stewart, who was one of the Fish leaders despite playing without a scholarship, will also contend for wing poet. The five freshman recruits who will make the nucleus of the Ag gie Fish team coached by Cul pepper are headed by C e d r I e. Joseph who was chosen the play er of the year last season f< high school basketball in Tex/ * and scored 66 points in one gan| He will be joined by high echo teammate 6-4 wingman Dei Donaldson. 6-7 Webb Williams brings 1 [ 30-plus average from Class power Comstock and 6-6 Jei Mercer brings a lot of mus and scoring power from Cypre Fairbanks, the Class 4A bask ball champion. Mercer, also an All-State selection in foot' and dominated the back at the state basketball tour Another 30-point average w corded by 5-11 guard Mike from Rockford, Illinois. With defending national ci pion UCLA leading* 4 off tl son the Aggies will be the underdog but possibility the Aggies w back and that comeback a string one. Remember 1969 Aggie netters seek first =j team tennis championship The Rice Owls lost All-Ameri cans Zan Guerry and Mike Estep to graduation and with them possibly went the Owls’ complete domination of the Southwest Conference tennis race for the past four seasons. It will at least bring the Owls down to earth and Aggie tennis coach Omar Smith feels that it will be at least a four-team scramble for the crown next year with runnerup Southern Meth odist, the University of Texas at Austin and the Aggies vying for the crown with the Owls. Rice does return All-American freshman Harold Solomon for his sophomore season. Solomon also has Jorge Berm, Emiloo Mon tano and Gus Pellixi. Smith points out that SMU returns its top player Jon Card- ear among three of Mb top four from last year’s squad and the Longhorns have everybody back including number one player Avery Rush. Smith feels his own club will be strengthened with the compe tition and some outstanding new comers. Heading the newcomers are A AM Consolidated slkte doubles champions, Billy , Hoover and Jere Mills. Hoover recently placed third in the Texas Junior Davis Cup tournament Smith has added Billy Wright from Ecuador, who has oatstand- , ing potential and Bobby Coch \ from Erasil. Although from Bra- ‘ xil, Coch is an American and his brother. Bill, played for Coach Smith and the Aggies in the early 1960’s. The Aggies will be minus two of their top six playe& from last year, Jon Ragland and Mike Hickey, who have completed their eligibility. But coach Smith feels the new comers plus the competition by a tqugh group of returnees will make the team stronger next season. * Leading the returnees is the number one player Dickie Fikes, who teamed with Ragland for second place in the Southwest Conference doubles last year. Smith foresees a tight battle for the number one spot with Fikes. Senior Tommy Connell, junior Lawton Park and sophomore Den Courson will lead that fight al though several other players are expected to be in the battle for the top six spots on the team. Among the leading players back from last year are Carl Jaedicke. Mike Mills. Jeff Cart er, Mitch Barker. Bill Pecor, Mitch Barker, Hermit Smith. Dennis Hirschfield, Don Smith, Bob Barnard and Doug Laukhuf. Former Aggie netter Richard Barker has returned to help Smith as an assistant coach this ''•■ason. Barker is a former SWC doubles champion. The Aggies have never won n team championship and Coach' Omar Smith would like nothing better than for this to be th«_ time. FOR BEST TRY TRY •battalion classifie Memorial Student Center GIFT SHOP CARDS JEWELRY STATIONERY SCHOOL SUPPUES SWEATSHIRTS LEATHER GOODS PIPE SHOP DECALS RUSSELL STOVER CANDY AND STEREO RECORDS OF THE TEXAS AGGIE BAND AND |i SINGING CADETS / UPPERCLASSMEN KNOW WHERE TO GET THE BEST DEAL ON BOOKS If You Are In Doubt Ask An Upperclassman LOUPOT'S TRADING POST