REBS HOLD CITY LOOP TOP SPOT
State Tournament Berths In Doubt
With two weeks of the City League season remaining to be played, Brown High's undefeated Rebels seem the only team which is a sure bet to represent Region 3-AA in the State tournament, although Murphy's Eagles, listing a 6-2 mark, are almost a certain qualifier.
The top four teams in loop standings will be eligible to play in the State. Region 3 doesn't have a tournament.
Brown, with seven straight on the books, has five games remaining, but in at least three of those the Rebs will be heavily favored. Murphy has Brown to face again - the Rebs beat the Eagles, 45-35, earlier - but should win at least two of its remaining games, all that will be necessary.
The other two spots could go to four teams, with only Grady out of the running. The hapless Knights have dropped eight straight and shown little sign of developing a winning habit.
Bass, currently standing at 4-4, must meet both Brown and Murphy, as must Smith, now in third place at 4-3. Roosevelt faces only Brown among the two leaders.
Roosevelt last year staged a fast finish to squeeze into the upper bracket, then went on to cop the State title.
Pepper Rodgers, of Brown, still leads City scorers with 104 points in seven games, a 14.9 average. Second is Murphy's Colvin Heist with 98 for eight appearances, a 12.3 record. Rounding out the top-five are Ed Webster and Ken Martin, of Roosevelt, and Dud Troyer, of Murphy.
Jack Odum, of Smith, not in the upper five as far as total is concerned, ranks second in per-game averae with a 12.9 mark.
Swede Phillips' Bass quintet lists all five of its starters in the top 20, the only team to do so.
+ This week's schedule finds an invasion of two Tennessee teams on Friday and Saturday, with Bass and Brown traveling downstate for week-end contests. The Wave is at Moultrie Thursday and Albany Friday, while the Rebs face the only two teams to defeat them thus far - Perry Friday and Lanier Saturday.
Rule, of Knoxville, is in town to meet Roosevelt Friday and Grady Saturday, while David Lipscomb battles Smith Friday.