Scholastic Basketball, 1952
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City Title
At the
Palestra | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
West
Catholic 57, Franklin 46 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Through the first three quarters, West coach Jim Usilton Jr. divided the playing time
evenly between two, five-man platoons. Joe Sturgis wound up with 11 points while Jim Smith, Walt Maxwell and Charles Singley had
10 apiece; it was the first time in City Title history four teammates reached double figures. Marty Milligan was a passing
wizard. For Franklin, Claude Gross scored 18 points and Bill Nelson (Bartram '44) became the first City Title player to
return to the game as a coach.
Public League
Playoffs
QUARTERFINALS
Doubleheader at the Palestra
Franklin 64, West 45
Claude Gross scored 23 points as Franklin coasted.
Lincoln 51, Overbrook 44
Clarence “Bud” Houck scored 22 points for playoff newcomer
Lincoln, which dominated the second half, 28-14. Hal Lear had 16 for ’Brook.
Doubleheader at Lincoln
Southern 42, Central 39
After waiving four fouls in 27 seconds, Southern scored the clinching
basket with 0:50 left as Ralph Lauria (13 points) raced in for a layup.
Northeast 59, Frankford 45
Jim Parker (20 points) and Joe Belmont (14) led Northeast. Ed Dobisch and
Al Booth scored 13 each for Frankford.
SEMIFINALS
Doubleheader at the Palestra
Franklin 48, Northeast 47
Devonne Muchison picked off a deflected pass with 14 seconds left and
drove in for the winning layup; it was his only score of the game. Seconds earlier, Joe
Belmont (17 points) had scored for Northeast after victimizing Muchison for a steal.
Franklin’s Claude Gross had 19 points. Northeast’s Guy Rodgers had 10.
Lincoln 64, Southern 47
Clarence “Bud” Houck scored 26 points — breaking the PL
postseason record of 25 set by Overbrook’s Jackie Moore in ’49 and Franklin’s
John Chaney in ’51 — as Lincoln rolled. Ed Givnish added 19 points. Lincoln had
four starters 6-3 or taller. Southern had no starter taller than 5-10.
FINAL
At the Palestra
Franklin 49, Lincoln 47
Led by Bill Matthews (15 points), Claude Gross (13) and Dick Chaney (10),
Franklin held on to win its first championship under rookie coach Bill Nelson despite
blowing all but two points of the 16-point lead it owned after three quarters. Clarence
"Bud" Houck (14) and Ed Givnish (12) led Lincoln. Lincoln coach Sam Browne had
coached Franklin to the PL final in 1951.
Standings
SECTION 1 | |
Southern | 7 | 2
Franklin | 6 | 3
Bok | 5 | 4
Bartram | 4 | 5
SECTION 2 | |
West Phila. | 8 | 1
Overbrook | 5 | 4
Dobbins | 2 | 7
Roxborough | 1 | 8
SECTION 3 | |
Northeast | 8 | 1
Central | 7 | 2
Gratz | 2 | 7
Germantown | 0 | 9
SECTION 4 | |
Lincoln | 5 | 4
Frankford | 5 | 4
Mastbaum | 4 | 5
Olney | 3 | 6
Coaches' All-Public
FIRST
TEAM | | | |
Joe Belmont | NE | 9 | 206 | 22.9
Hal Lear | Ovb | 9 | 161 | 17.9
Jay Norman | Mast | 9 | 160 | 17.8
Ron Mitz | West | 9 | 152 | 16.4
Claude Gross | Fkn | 9 | 154 | 17.1
SECOND
TEAM | | | |
Clifford Noble | Bok | 9 | 144 | 16.0
Irvin
"Bo" Roberson | Bart | 9 | 158 | 17.6
Phil DiNardo | Sou | 5 | 82 | 16.4
James Parker | NE | 9 | 126 | 14.0
Ed Givnish | Linc | 9 | 137 | 15.2
Ralph Lauria | Sou | 9 | 114 | 12.7
Champs' Rotation
FRANKLIN
Coach
Bill Nelson
Record
6-3, 11-8
Starters
Claude Gross
Pete Henderson
Devonne
Muchison
Dick Chaney
Bill Matthews
Key
Subs
Don Hill
Bill McCoy
Catholic League
Playoffs
SEMIFINAL
Doubleheader at the Palestra
West 76, St. James 49
Ed Williams (19), Joe Sturgis (18), Charles Singley (17) and Walt Maxwell (15)
led the assault as the Burrs set a CL postseason record for points. Bill Lynch (26) led
St. James.
ST More 50, La Salle 38
John ‘‘Misty’’ Fannon packed 16 of his 19 points into a
29-19 first half. Joe Pastore added 12 points.
FINAL
At the Palestra
West 50, ST More 46 (ot)
With 8,000 looking on, the Burrs gained revenge for 1951's title-game loss and
ended More's 26-game winning streak. Ed Williams (13), Walt Maxwell (12), sub Jim Smith
(11) and Joe Sturgis (10) led the way. Sturgis and Smith split the first four points in
overtime, which was forced by Al Juliana's layup for More (John "Misty" Fannon
16).
Standings
ST More | 14 | 0
West | 12 | 2
La Salle | 8 | 6
St. James | 7 | 7
South | 5 | 9
North | 4 | 10
Roman | 4 | 10
SJ Prep | 2 | 12
Coaches' All-Catholic
FIRST
TEAM | | | |
Bill Lynch | St. J | 14 | 352 | 25.1
John
"Misty" Fannon | More | 14 | 245 | 17.5
Al Juliana | More | 14 | 250 | 17.9
Joe Sturgis | West | 14 | 198 | 14.1
Walt Maxwell | West | 14 | 165 | 11.8
SECOND
TEAM | | | |
Paul Hynes | Prep | 14 | 188 | 13.4
Harry Bense | La S | 14 | 100 | 7.1
Tom Short | North | 13 | 137 | 10.5
Jim Maloney | Roman | 14 | 180 | 12.9
Marty Milligan | West | 14 | 118 | 8.4
Tom Derago | La S | 12 | 109 | 9.1
Champs' Rotation
WEST
Coach
Jim Usilton Jr.
Record
11-3, 20-3
Starters
Joe Sturgis
Marty Milligan
Walt Maxwell
Ed Williams
Charles Singley
Key
Subs
Jim Smith
Bill Lindsay
Mike McGinn
Don Haley
Joe Gardler
Inter-Ac League
Penn Charter (8-2)
The clincher came in Game No. 8, a 44-43 overtime decisioning of host
Malvern. Drew Schaufler (15), Colson Hillier (12) and Ed Sipler (11) scored in double
figures and Hillier made a free throw with 0:04 left in overtime to win it. The win left
the Quakers at 8-0, but they closed with two losses. Malvern took second (7-3).
Standings
Penn Charter | 8 | 2
Malvern | 7 | 3
Haverford Sch. | 6 | 4
Fds. Central | 4 | 6
Episcopal | 3 | 7
Gtn. Academy | 2 | 8
Coaches' All-Inter-Ac
FIRST
TEAM |
Joe Huver | MP
Bob Buckley | FC
Drew Schaufler | PC
Ed Silverie | HS
Barry Plotts | EA
Charles Zoll | GA
SECOND
TEAM |
Tom Collins | MP
Ed Sipler | PC
Wayne Rayfield | FC
Joe Missett | MP
Ken Clark | EA
Dan Little | GA
Champs' Rotation
PENN
CHARTER
Coach
Duke Taylor
Record
8-2
Starters
Drew Schaufler
Ed Sipler
John Balsom
Anthony Fowkes
Colson Hillier
Key
Subs
Jerry Burns
Tom Joyce
Author
Published
March 5, 2026
Updated
March 5, 2026
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