The Cavalier daily. :: Wednesday, January 8, 1969 :: University of Virginia Library

Hopeful of bouncing back onto
a winning streak and abandoning
their erratic ways, the Cavaliers
battle the Navy Middies this evening
in Annapolis. The Virginia
cagers seek to push their 6-6 record
over the .500, while the Naval
Academy attempts to revenge an
80-96 decision suffered in Charlottesville
last season.

Coach Bill Gibson, somewhat
handicapped by the recent loss of
John Gidding and Buddy Reams,
must rely upon his bench for
support. Gidding's medical status is
uncertain, and if he can not play
against Navy, Bill Fulton and Bill
Gerry will have to take up the
slack.

The Middies are 4-4 on the year
and are always tough at the
Academy. In John Tolmie the
Cavaliers may well be facing one of
the best in the area. The Navy
basketball handbook uses no
modesty in citing Tolmie's talents.
"Captain John Tolmie [is] possibly
the finest basketball player in Naval
Academy history." Navy has not
been this full of praise since the
signing of Bill Elias as head football
coach some five years ago.

Hailing from Rockland, Massachusetts,
Tolmie is not an especially
large forward at 6-3 and 185
pounds. His credentials are
impressive, however. A 23 point
average last season ranked Tolmie
number 29 in the country. He
ended twelfth nationally in free
throws, hitting at an 84.9% clip.

But Tolmie can not do it all by
himself. Another key starter is Jack
Conrad, who is just a sophomore
and quite a shooter. Conrad shot
6-0 in his guard position and was
the leading scorer on the plebe
team of last year. Coach Gibson
compared Conrad with Tony Kinn
in shooting form and habit. Chuck
Provini accompanies Conrad in the
backcourt. Provini measures only
5-10, and although a bit inexperienced,
he is loaded with potential.
Coach Smalley has expressed confidence
in his second guard, "A
year's maturity could cast Chuck,
who is smart and has good speed,
into the thick of battle..."

Junior Scott Semko will start at
the other forward spot. Semko's
physical dimensions, 6-1 and 190
pounds, have provoked comment
from his coach, "Small fa forward,
Semko makes up for his lack
of size with strength and ability to
get good position. Just about the
biggest man on the team, John
Seely will be jumping center. Standing
6-6, he must assume much of
the rebounding responsibilities.

The Cavaliers do indeed have a
size advantage going for them. 6-9
Norm Carmichael will be the tallest
player on the court, and with the
leaping talents of Mike Wilkes and
Bill Gerry, Virginia should have the
edge on the boards.

The Cavaliers boast four players
averaging in double figures, a statistic
that might indicate that
Virginia depends on a team effort.
John Gidding leads his teammates
with 17.1 points a game and is tops
in the rebounding department with
114. Mike Wilkes is not far behind.
Leading the team with a scorching
59.7% from the floor, he is
averaging 16.1 a game and has 110
rebounds.

Tony Kinn has been hitting
from outside at a 12.1 point pace,
and Norm Carmichael has 11.5
points a game while snagging a total
of 94 rebounds.

Coach Bill Gibson is only
slightly optimistic about his
Annapolis appearance. Whether or
not John Gidding will be healthy
enough to play is unknown. Two
recent losses to ACC opponents
may have taken some edge off the
team. And a game with Navy,
played amongst screaming
Midshipmen can be a little
disconcerting. Yet this is a crucial
one for the Cavaliers; a victory
tonight would put them over the
.500 mark.