12/2/1972

Dons inhospitable
Snowden glad to test Stanford

DECEMBER 4, 1972

By P. J. ERICKSON
Assistant Sports Editor

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Punsters around the Pacific-8 Conference refer to Stanford University as "Vassar West" and "Radcliffe-By-The-Sea," because of the "upper crust" atmosphere prevailing at the Palo Alto school.

Stanford is veddy, veddy chic, the social dandy of the California universities, and Arizona basketball coach Fred Snowden, who sends his Wildcats against the Cardinals tonight, may find the atmosphere appealing.

"I understand they have a little more class at Stanford," said Snowden, who was not at all impressed with the hospitality shown Arizona in a 94-75 loss to the University of San Francisco Saturday night. Saturday's game was held up for 47 minutes while a preliminary contest went through three overtimes and Snowden was fuming.

Kids were ready

"When we were in the hall waiting to go out on the floor, those kids were as ready to play as any club I've ever seen," Snowden said afterwards.

"Then that first overtime started and I thought, 'Well, this will be over in a minute.' But the whole thing started stretching out and finally I told Jerry Holmes (Snowden's assistant) to take the kids back down to the dressing room.

"We spent an hour down there. An HOUR! It really didn't affect the seniors, Lynard Harris and Tom Lawson, much, but it had a definite effect on Eric Money and Al Fleming (both freshmen). And there just wasn't any excuse for the delay.

"I told them it isn't right to set up an S o'clock game, get a radio hookup and your press people there trying to meet deadlines, then hang them up with a 50-minute delay of the game."

When festivities finally commenced, Snowden didn't find any comfort in the display on the floor, where the 'Cats ran into adversity from another quarter.

"Did you know we only shot three free throws in the second half?" Snowden asked. "We outscored them by two baskets from the floor, but they made 13 free throws and we made exactly two.

Blocked out well

"We blocked them out beautifully underneath, and that's what we have to do against a team with that kind of site. But then they were allowed to climb right up our backs and they got the rebounds, anyway. That's why I got a technical foul. I think too much of my kids to let that kind of thing stand.

"You know, we have a list of all our games and this was the only one where we didn't know who the officials would be ahead of time. I never would have gotten involved in a contract like this where they have total control over who works a game. The line for officials on this game was blank.

"But I'll tell you one thing; San Francisco didn't beat my ball club Saturday night. They won the game, but they didn't beat my ball club. We played a ranking team on an, alien floor under impossible conditions, and they only got us by two baskets from the floor. I'm as proud as I can be of our kids."

Some of Saturday's performances may change the shape of things for the Wildcats. Foul trouble caused Snowden to use his guard depth for the first time and freshmen Jim Rappis and Coniel Norman were brilliant in the second half subbing for Money and Ron Allen.

Norman's bombs had the USF crowd ooohing and aaahing and the 6-4 rookie led the Wildcats with 20 points. Rappis was UA's second leading scorer with 14 and his slick floor work frustrated the Dons' guard line.

"Corniel had a great night," said Snowden, "and that's my biggest problem right now, finding some place for him to play. You just can't keep a shooter like that out of there, but you just can't keep Eric Money and Ron Allen out of there, either.

"I think I'll probably start the same way against Stanford tonight (Money, Allen, Harris, Lawson and Fleming), but we may have to restructure the front line against teams as big as these, sacrifice some quickness for some muscle. Lynard Harris played brilliantly, even though they beat on him all night. Lawson played good basketball, but he was so overmatched physically. We may have to use Paul Strong more against big teams. If Tommy doesn't start, it will not be because he is not playing well."

Under the circumstances, USF forwards Snake Jones and Kevin Restani worked just about at will. "I thought Jones fouled out four times over." but they only called four." said Snowden afterwards. The quick 6-9 senior finished with 27 points and the 6-ll Restani had l7. "Stanford is just as big, if not bigger," said Snowden. "But not nearly as physical and not as quick. We'll have to run and block them off the boards. And we'll have to get a fair shot at it, but we have Irv Brown (a top official from Denver) working the game and we know that he won't be intimidated."

Tonight's game will be broadcast over KFMM-FM at 8:05 p.m. Tucson time.