Basketball Opener, Pep Rally Share IAB Hardcourt Tonight

A couple of new seasons get under way at the IAB tonight at 7:30. First comes the opening game of the 1980-81 Crimson basketball slate--an exhibition against the touring Portuguese national team.

At halftime of that contest, though. The Season--in other words. The Game--gets under way with a pep rally starring the Harvard Band.

Whatever impact the pep rally has on Saturday's all-important contest, tonight's hoop opener will provide a pre-season glimpse at what promises to be an exciting and successful basketball squad.

Back from last year is a nucleus of veterans, including high scoring swingman Donald Fleming and senior co-captain Mark Harris and Tom Mannix, not to mention the backfield tandem of Calvin Dixon and Robert Taylor.

Fleming comes into the season as the Ivies' leading returning scorer and rebounder; he averaged 19.9 points per and 6.0 rebounds last year.

Tonight's game marks the debut of a talented group of newcomers to the IAB hardcourt, and although coach Frank McLaughlin doesn't plan to start any of the freshmen, the yardlings--led by Joe Carrabino and Monroe Trout--should see a lot of action.

Parallels?

McLaughlin plans to start the nucleus of returning lettermen, with one exception. Besides Harris and Fleming up front, and Dixon and Mannix in the backcourt, 6-ft., 10-in. junior Bob McCabe--out all of the last two years because of a pair of shaky knees--will start in the pivot.

The Portuguese squad promises to be small, quick and very aggressive. Crimson Ivy opponents Brown and Dartmouth both defeated the Portuguese earlier this fall.