Quintet Edges Weak Bears 62-58

The varsity basketball team threw away a ten-point half-time lead but poured in six points in the final minute of play to whip weak Brown 62-58 in Providence last night. The victory vaults the Crimson into undisputed possession of fifth place in the Ivy League and should give the team a needed psychological boost for its game against Yale tonight in New Haven.

Harvard jumped off to a quick lead, as Vern Strand controlled the opening tip, and Denny Lynch hit on a quick outside shot, followed quickly by two points from the hands of Bob Inman, Brown soon pulled even with the Crimson at 10-all, and the lead seesawed back and forth until, with about five minutes left in the half, the Crimson pulled ahead 27-23.

Then, the varsity got hot, and with a fine display of sharp shooting and rebounding sank ten points while the Bruins managed only four. When the two teams left the court at the half, Harvard led 37-27.

The Crimson came back from the break looking like meant business as Lynch scored a field goal immediately, and Leo Scully sank two foul shots. However, the Bears finally awoke from their slumber, or more accurately Brown's Franz Driscoll hit for six straight points to bring them within 3 points of the Crimson at 41-33.

History caught up with the varsity, and a combination of Harvard's usual second half slump and some inspired Brown play soon erased the Crimson's lead, and Brown led 50-49 with 13 minutes left in the game.

For seven agonizing minutes, neither team could find the target as each very deliberately brought the ball down court, carefully set up a shot and then, with equal precision, missed it. Finally, with six minutes to go, the Crimson located the basket again. Scully put Harvard back into the lead, and Lynch hit for two more to make the score 53-50, Harvard.

But the Bears weren't out yet, and they came back strong, taking the lead again with three minutes left, Scully again pushed the Crimson back into the lead, this time to stay, with two foul shots. The varsity held onto its one-point lead for two minutes and then in the final minute of play, Strand scored two, Inman hit another basket, and with ten seconds left, Inman iced it with a final marker.

The Crimson was handed many friendly assists as the Bears lost the ball eighteen times by their sloppy floor play. The Harvard defence held well throughout the game, forcing the Bruins to shoot from the outside, and containing the Brown captain Gene Barth to only 13 points.

Scully was high scorer for the Crimson with 18 points, his high for the season, Inman checked in second with 17, followed by Strand with 16.