Varsity Five Opens Season Against Lord Jeffs at I.A.B.

Minus its most dependable player and leading scorer, the 1955-56 edition of the varsity basketball team opens a tough 24 game schedule tonight against Amherst. Game time at the IAB is 8:00 p.m.

Coach Floyd Wilson will start three juniors and two seniors against the Lord Jeffs. Bob Bowman will open at center, Captain Warren Kantrowitz and Dick Hurley at forward, and Bob Barnett and Bob Hastings at guard.

Missing from the starting team will be two juniors heavily counted on in pre-season estimations. Ike Canty, the pneumonia, while Phil Haughey is suffering from an injured shoulder. Haughey, a top rebounder and at 6 ft. 4 in. the squad's tallest player, will be in uniform tonight, but won't be able to see much action.

With Haughey and Canty out, Coach Wilson will rely on seniors Bowman and team's regular center and high scorer last year, is currently out with bronchial Kantrowitz for his rebounding strength. Both are 6 ft., 4 in., one inch shorter than Amherst's top two men.

Unknown Amherst Team

Starting with Bowman and Kantrowitz will be three juniors who saw considerable action on last year's team. Hurley, a forward, is a fast, driving-type player, while the guards, Barnett and Hastings, are both good play-makers.

Another player slated to see considerable playing time tonight is Billy Riggs, a six foot senior forward, who last year was the star of the House league. Riggs was cut from his freshman team in 1952 but has improved steadily ever since.

Facing the Crimson will be an Amherst team, which because of the NCAA ban on early season scrimmages, remains something of an unknown quantity. Last year's strong Lord Jeff five defeated Harvard twice, once by 20 points; but only four lettermen and two starters remain from that squad.

Unfortunately for the Crimson, one of the veterans is Doug Hawkins, a 6 ft. 5 in. center, who last year averaged over 17, points per game. Starting with Hawkins will be sophomore Bill Warren (6 ft., 5 in.) and Junior Richard Anderson (6 ft., 3 in.) at the forwards and seniors Ben Boley (5 ft., 9 in.) and Henry Pearsall (6 ft.) at the guards.