University of Virginia Library

Yearlings Turn Tables On Turtles

BY DOUG DOUGHTY

Back in 1968 Joe
Harrington was one of the first
stringers and Terry Truax one
of the last subs on Maryland's
basketball team. Saturday
night the order changed a bit as
Truax' Cavayearlings nipped
Harrington's Baby Terps,
70-68, at Cole Field House.

Playing without backcourt
ace Brian Tully, the
first-yearmen had their hands
full in taking on the Baby
Terps, 12-3 for the year and
unbeaten at home. In addition,
Maryland had taken an earlier
decision, 75-73, in December
back in Charlottesville.

With center "Gus" Gerard
making the Terp front line
look all but impressive, the
'Yearlings raced to a big 25-16
advantage midway through the
first half and, despite a short
comeback by their opponents,
stretched onward to a 45-37
halftime advantage.

Strong individual
performances were mainly
responsible for the first-period
Cavalier surge. Gerard scored 16
of the first 28 Wahoo points,
finishing with 21 for the half.
Andy Boninti, almost on the
point of exhaustion due to
running the attack
singlehandedly, gunned in a
last-second jumper to give him
15 points in the first twenty
minutes.

Although Gerard and
Boninti paced the 'Yearlings to
a 54-43 lead five minutes into
the game's second period, Mr.
Harrington had a heart-to-heart
talk with his boys and they
proceeded to cut the margin to
64-62 with 6:51 left.

A couple of Terp fouls and
the Cavs were up by six, 68-62,
with four minutes left.
Nevertheless, Maryland's
Donald White hit a 20-footer
and teammate Tom Roy stole
and scored on an inbounds
pass. Dan Bonner for the
first-yearmen and the Terps'
Billy Hahn traded buckets and
the stage was set for a hectic
last minute.

In desperation Maryland
fouled Gerard with :47 left to
play. Gerard, who was only
two of five from the line up to
that point, strayed on the first
shot of a one-on-one situation.
The Terps grabbed the rebound
and set up a deliberate offense
to wait for the last shot.

Strangely enough, the Terps
moved the ball around well but
set up no shots, with the result
that Hahn put up an awkward
25-footer with :09 remaining,
that flirted with the rim but
did not go in. Gerard
controlled the rebound and
Virginia had won its first ACC
away game of the year and
capped off an outstanding 11-5
season.

As good as the Cavaliers
looked on the floor, they
looked even better on paper,
Gerard, held to five points in
the second half, had a 12-24
shooting night and his 25
points and 16 rebounds were
each game highs. Gerard
excelled but Boninti ruined the
Terrapins.

For 39 minutes of playing
time, Boninti committed a
mere two turnovers, led the
team with three assists, hit nine
of 15 field goal attempts and
eight of 11 from the line for 26
points and grabbed 10
rebounds, an extremely high
total for a guard.

Dan Bernstein, subbing for
the injured Tully, more than
rose to the occasion. Scurrying
between all the taller players
on the court, the 5-11 Bernstein
was a hound on defense and
helped bring the ball up court
on offense.

Maryland had no one that
could be called a team leader
Saturday., Owen Brown, the
Baby Terps' high scorer
entering the contest, found
more pleasure in antagonizing
the Cavaliers he covered than
playing the leading role he has
so many times this year. Brown
scored 13 points, but his five
personal fouls and one
technical were indicative of his
poor team play.