University of Virginia Library

Looking Back

Gibson Praises Cager Efforts

For a team that was picked by
many pre-season polls to finish
at the bottom of the ACC hoop
ladder, the Virginia Cavaliers
turned in a creditable performance
during the 1967-68 basketball campaign.

Though greatly by the loss
of sickened Buddy Reams, the
leading rebounder of the 1967
team, and the injured high-scoring
Chip Case, the Cavaliers bounced
back and finished the season
strongly.

Winning three of their last
four outings, the cagers finished the
season with a 9-15 mark and
placed fifth in the ACC, the highest
a Virginia team has placed in the
last nine years.

In commenting on his team's
performance. Coach Bill Gibson
expressed pride in his team's ability
to pick themselves up after the
loss of Case and Reams, a loss
he likened in its effect to Virginia
to a loss of Larry Miller
and Rusty Clark at UNC. "Any
other team would fold after such
a loss, but our boys didn't do
so," stated Coach Gibson.

Cavayearlings Reviewed

For the Virginia Cavayearlings,
the 1967-68 season was one of
sporadic brilliance and frustration,
but as in the case of the
Varsity, a strong finish indicated
how potentially effective the team
was.

With wins in their last three
games against Fork Union, North
Carolina, and Maryland, the Cavayearlings
finished their season with
a 6-9 record.

Commenting on the season and
the strong finish, Coach Chip
Conner said: "At the first of the
season, Coach Gibson and I said
that whether or not we could count
our season successful would de-
on how well we had developed
by the end of the schedule."
Individually, the Cavayearlings
were paced by Kevin Kennelly,
considered by Coach Conner to
be the team leader, Bill Gerry,
ad Johnny Hill.