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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1977)
I ril_ D/A I I /ALIv_/1N THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1977 r-dge Houston high school loses to win By ANGELO RUSSO A “one in a million chance,” brought a Texas high school basket ball team to national prominence re cently, but their place in the spot light was short-lived. Superior ball-handling didn’t arouse the interest of NBC news in this team, nor did an air-tight de fense, nor even an overpowering of- jfense. The nation’s eyes turned to Texas when the 4A Stratford High School Spartans of Houston’s Spring Branch School District found them selves in the unusual position of hav ing to lose a basketball game in order to gain a spot in the district playoffs. Because of the district’s “two-half’ season rule, which splits the compe tition into two rounds and brings the winners of each round together to play off for the district title, a victory by Stratford would have excluded them from the playoffs. Stratford tied Westchester High School for first place in the first round of season play. In the second round, Westchester and Spring Woods were vying for the No. 1 position while Stratford held the third place spot. Westchester would win the second round and the district crown if Stratford beat Spring Woods in the season finale. If Stratford lost, Westchester would tie with Spring Woods for the second round lead and all three, Westches ter, Spring Woods and Stratford, would be forced into a district playoff. So if Stratford was to gain a spot in the district playoffs, they would have to lose to Spring Woods. “Purposely losing a game con tradicts everything that competitive athletics is about,” Stratford basket ball coach Jerry Kroll said. “But our purpose at the beginning of the sea son was to win district; that was our primary goal. Winning Tuesday night would have precluded us from advancing to the playoffs.’ The marquees in front of Stratford High read, “Watch us lose to Spring Woods tonight, 8:15.” And the Spartans did just that. They played their reserves all evening and were soundly defeated by Spring Woods, 72-45. The game, which was covered by NBC news, was entertaining, Strat ford cheerleader Ginger Roush said. “We cheered and all, but we never used the word ‘win,’ just things like ‘spirit’ and fight.’ It really was funny, because our fans were cheer ing every time the other team made a basket.” The referees got the best deal,” one student said. “Nobody was against them tonight. Everyone wanted the same team to win. The news cameras came to the school the day of the game and interviewed students. I think they tried to make it into a controversy, but coach Kroll did what he had to do. That’s what competitive sports is all about.” The Spartans excitement was short-lived however, as they lost to Westchester 53-36 last night in the first game of district playoffs. This one was for real and cost the Spartans the district title. “I have no second thoughts about our decision to lose, coach Kroll said. “We set out to win district and we gave it our best shot. NOW OPEN 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday - Saturday Featuring: NEEDLEPOINT CREWELS • RUGS EMBROIDERY YARNS 707 TEXAS AVENUE « COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS 77840 • 846-0072 Two can ride cheaper than one. UNIVERSITY SQUARE SHOPPiNG CENTER 346-6714 & 846-H51 MANOR EAST 3 THEATRES MANOR EAST MALL 7:00-9:15 M GM presents pie tk purefc the A i 100,000, to less tfie Finley ive not onlypuip Irian Barrett was on his way up for a shot, influencf vhen Razorback center, Steve Stroud, ap- arently fouled him. The referee called travel ed 5-8:00-9:45 ; and Fi»f )a ing against Barrett, giving the Hogs the ball. The Aggies lost the controverisal contest 63-62. Battalion photo by Debby Krenek West Screen 7:00 Skyway Twin East Screen 7:00 “BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR!’ (Co-Winner) CINEMA I 700 930 —Los Angeles Film Critics Association « A A A A „ 'Tih.ghest RAT,NG) —Kathleen Carroll. Daily News TOMORROW! United Artists eived telling lit Kuhn)tol i be outd 3US,” Fil outhern Idaho finishes first United Press International UTCHINSON, KAN. — Un- ten College of Southern Idaho bed first yesterday in the final I basketball poll of the National idfCollege Athletic Association, outhern Idaho, 26-0, led the poll season long. Casper Wyo. Col- finished second, followed by stchester N.Y., Western Texas lege and Independence, Kan. Others in the top 20: 6, Waukesha County Wis.; 7, East Central Mo.; 8, Rhode Island; 9, Jamestown N.Y.; 10, Lawson State Ala.; 11, Ferrum Va.; 12, tie. Bar ton County Kan., Henderson County Tex., Palmer Iowa; 15, tie, Baltimore Md., Pensacola Fla., Oakland Mich.; 18, tie, Vincennes Ind., Southeastern Iowa; 20, Du- Page Ill. 5* ^ VC? 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