Basketball Squad to Oppose Penn

Fighting to stay in contention for a first division finish in the Ivy League standings, the varsity basketball team travels to Philadelphia tonight to play the University of Pennsylvania on the spacious Palestra court. Tomorrow night the Crimson will complete its weekend trip by meeting Princeton at the Tiger's home floor.

After losses to Yale and Brown here last week Harvard is now in a fifth place tie with Dartmouth, each team having won three and lost five in league play. Penn (5-3) and Princeton (4-4) occupy third and fourth places, respectively. Crimson victories, therefore, appear to be a necessity if the team is to rise from the nether reaches of the league it has graced so often in recent years.

Amidst the generally sloppy play of last weeks' games appeared one bright spot for the Crimson--the return to form of captain Gary Borchard. Borchard, a second-team All-Ivy selection for the past two years, scored a total of 50 points against Yale and Brown.

Though prone to a plodding offensive style which often hampers the Crimson's complex patterns, on a given night Borchard is as fine a shooter as any in the league. He is especially effective on a twisting driving shot that most resembles someone falling down a short flight of stairs.

His continued effectiveness, plus a return to form of early season standouts Pete Kelley and Denny Lynch, are about the only hope the Crimson has. Neither the defense, nor the ball handling, nor the rebounding, with the exception of rugged Bill Danner, has been exceptional, and the Crimson must rely on sheer firepower to win.

Last season, Penn finished third with one senior and seven sophomores. League coaches quaked in terror at the thought of having to meet them for the next two years. But evidently the Dean's Office was not sufficiently impressed, since three of the top wunderkinds are now on probation and ineligible for the remainder of the season.

But the players left still pose a problem for any opponent, especially at the Palestra. In the backcourt the Quakers start Sid Amira, who has been playing far below the standard that earned him All-Ivy mention last season, and Jeff Sturm. Up front are Jim Doherty, Bob Purdy and John Wideman, who at 6 ft., 1 in. is still the best rebounder on the team. Harvard will counter with Borchard, Lynch, Gene Augustine, Joe Deering, and either Danner or Bob Inman.