Montgomery County Sentinel

Wheaton Beats Spartans, 45-43

Though Wheaton Coach Don Drown was happy with his team's 45-43 last second victory over Walter Johnson last week the club's actions from foul lines make him a little sad.

The Knights' aggressive defense pressed Walter Johnson all night but Wheaton missed some golden opportunities to put the game out of sight in the second half on missed free throws.

While the Spartans were making eight in a row in the last stages of the contest Wheaton was hitting 50 per cent and nearly let the game slip away.

It was Dale Jaques stuffing six of his total of eight points in the last 30 seconds of the game that saved the day for the Crimson Knights. With one second remaining Dale made a desperate lob from the outside left which swished through for the winning point, 45-43.

The game which only strayed beyond a two-point difference in the second half, saw Walter Johnson lead for all but a few seconds of the first half. It was 8-7 WJ at the quarter and 20-20 at the half. Wheaton led 33-29 at three-quarters.

Wheaton had a six-point lead with seven minutes left but the Spartans stormed back with Pete Tredick evening the score at 35-35 with six minutes remaining. Bob Woodward put the green ahead at 37-35. The lead changed hands five times thereafter with Jaques' shot the clincher.