Geneva Daily Times- Mike Novak Leads Syracuse Nats Into Armory Tomorrow
Rizzo And Meehan In National Cast Against Utica Pics
Big Mike Novak, the six-foot nine-inch giant who has been roaming unmolested in the National Basketball League for two years, will spearhead the Syracuse Nationals into the Geneva Armory tomorrow night in the second in a series of popular pro cage exhibitions. The Nationals square off with the Utica Pics, 1947 New York State League champions, at 8:30 tomorrow night. The Geneva Raiders, sponsors of the series, have announced a new seating arrangement for the Armory court, permitting several hundred additional seats. Geneva fans will be watching Novak with new interest after the skyscraping pivot held George Mikan, Minneapolis scoring leader, to five baskets Saturday night, 24 hours before Mikan broke the league point record with 41 against the Rochester Royals last night. The Nationals flattened the Lakers, 71-56, just before the Lakers overpowered the Royals, 75-73, at Rochester. Novak pumped in 27 points against the Royals in the last meeting between the two clubs. Syracuse shelled out a record cash outlay of $5,000 to purchase him from Sheboygan Redskins last year, and the big sharpshooter paid dividends on the investment by sparking the Nationals into the playoffs last spring. With Ben Maley, the strong silent man of the Pics, playing opposite him, Novak may have his hands full tomorrow night. Maley broke loose from Rochester's Andy Duncan in the pivot time after time in the recent Royals-Pics fracas here. Rounding out the Utica cast will be Johnny Isaacs, the brilliant colored performer who was ousted on fouls early in Rochester contest, Stan Waxman, workhourse from St. Francis, Jimmy Joyce and Ben Wybernac, all six-footers. Utica held the Royals to a 43-43 deadlock at the 30-minute mark before succumbing to Rochester's late assault. The Uticans, are coached by Bobby Synnott, former National League standout. Jerry Rizzo, Novak's pint sized running mate, will also be a center of attention in the Syracuse cast tomorrow night, as will Chick Meehan, John "Brooms" Abramovic, Jimmy Homer, George Nelmark, Eddie Oram, Bob Kitterman and John Chaney. Meehan and Chaney have been on the sick list but will be in harness for the Geneva appearance. An attractive preliminary between the Nester Hose and Margrove's of the Geneva City league is on tap for the preliminary.