Philadelphia Scholastic Basketball, 1952

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City Title

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

Coaches' All-Public

Champs' Rotation

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

Coaches' All-Catholic

Champs' Rotation

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

Coaches' All-Inter-Ac

Champs' Rotation