Leverett Tops Eliot, 51-46, Snaring Basketball Crown

The Leverett House basketball team dominated the battle of the boards last night, snaring 54 rebounds to Eliot's 27 and eeking out a 51-46 overtime victory.

Former varsity member Scott Lewis (19 points, 19 rebounds) led Leverett's win, which clinches the intramural championship and upgrades the team's undefeated record to 9-0.

The "combatants" traded the lead ten times in the rough, foul-strewn game before Leverett asserted its control in the overtime period.

An offensive rebound and follow-up jumper by Skip Comek put Leverett ahead for good, 44-42, at the start of the extra session. After a trade of foul shots, Lewis relieved the suspense with a 15-footer from the right side.

In Style

Next time down the floor the Leverett five clinched the victory in style. Harry Elam exhibited a little dribbling, drove to the hoop, and shoveled off a pass to Steve Kay alone in the left corner. Kay calmly glided under the basket and scord two with a reverse lay-up.

Eliot closed to 49-46 with three points from Gordon Johnson. But Jim Curry smothered a rebound and sent Comek away for a fast break, and the ball game was over.

It was not supposed to be such a close game last night but inconsistent play by Leverett and 18 foul shots out of a whopping total of 33 attempts kept Eliot in the game.

Eliot jumped to an 8-2 advantage as Curry took a few moon shots from somewhere around Lowell House for Leverett's early offense. Three baskets by Lewis and a two-pointer by Curry, all after offensive rebounds, helped Leverett close to 20-17.

Leverett started to quicken the pace, not attempting to set up on offense. Curry stormed down the floor on a two-and-one break, sent a behind-the-back pass to Comek, and dropped in a return pass. He followed with a steal and Leverett led 21-20. Leverett had a 26-24 advantage at the half.

With Eliot on top 33-32, in the final half, Curry turned a three-point play, and Lewis pulled off the trick after grabbing an offensive rebound. Four successive offensive rebounds produced another Lewis tally, and Leverett was threatening to pull away with two minutes remaining.

But two baskets by Eliot's leading scorer Dave Rogers (11 points) made the score 40-39. And Leverett was suddenly trailing after Curry put up another bomb from mid-court. A swish with 14 seconds left by Lewis sent the game into overtime, 42-42.