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Randy York
Richl likes NU basketball
Mizzou's own Leroy Frosh 4Kentuckey-f lavored4
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Henry Smith is Missouri's version of Nebraska's Leroy
Chalk.
But the Tiger pivot's basketball career hardly parallels
that of Chalk's, the unquestionable fan favorite among
Husker players.
Chalk was a prep standout at Big Sandy, Tex.
Smith didn't even play high school basketball. But the
6-6,fe junior from Athens, Ca., currently ranks sixth on
the Big Eight Conference scoring chart with a 14.1 average.
His first appearance in Columbia's Brewer Field House
produced more cheers and smiles than points and rebounds.
Things have changed, however, climaxed Feb. 2 when
Missouri fans extended Smith
a several minute standing
ovation late in the second
half of the Tigers' 90-73 win
lover Colorado.
Smith had just fouled out,
but he had scored 28 points
land snagged 17 rebounds.
Like Leroy, Henry responded
to the crowd's approval . . .
with a big grin.
"I don't think I've ever
had a bigger thrill in sports,"
Smith says.
Missouri s fans were
equally enthused. They ve
waited a long time for an
effective big man ... or
pivot.
"My biggest personal
satisfaction is when I can
hold my man to a minimum
of points and pull down a
maximum of rebounds,"
Smith says.
He's been a competitive Big Eight rebounder, retrieving
67 for an 8.4 per game average, ninth best in the con
ference. Smith's transition to major college basketball offers
a unique story. He bypassed prep play. "I went to the
Job Corps in Indiana to learn a trade," he explains.
"Job Corps basketball was the first organized ball I
played," Smith says. "It was a lot like junior college
ball run and shoot."
Smith played for Iowa Western Junior College after
' the Job Corps and before Missouri.
"Really, I do pretty much the same here," Smith
says of his shift from Iowa Western to Mizzou. "I stay
in the pivot, turn and take a jumper or a hook.
"But this is the big time," he adds. "There's a dif
ference. There's constant pressure and you have to work
hard for all your shots."
Chalk will be a part of that pressure In a televised
matinee Saturday, lie's been assigned to guard Smith.
Big Eight slows
offensive machine
n i
1 1
U 'VI
It Big Eight Conference
basketball fans arc somewhat
disappointed with low-scoring
games, don't blame all the
coaches ... or the players.
Blame Oklahoma State coach
Henry lba, whose deliberate
stylo of play seems to be con
tagious. Conference leader Kansas
State is averaging only 70
points per game. The Wildcats
have scored only 560 points in a
6-2 season.
"There's hardly a fast
breaking team in the league,"
Nebraska coach Joe Cipriano
says. "The Big ight has gone
to a more deliberate style this
year.
"Colorado Is the only team
whose personnel delivers a
good fast break," Cip adds.
Kansas has tried to run a littlo
too.
Otherwise, Big Eight clubs
have throttled their offenses,
although not to the extent of
Iba's last place Cowboys, who
are averaging only 61.8 points
pep game.
Colorado Is leading the
league In scoring with 75.4
points per game, but despite
the pace, tho Buffaloes have
PAGE 10
not cracked the upper division
in a 4-4 season.
While the conference return
ed most of last-season's stan
douts, newcomers are ac
counting for the most accurate
shooting, although they are not
among the scoring leaders.
Nebraska senior guard Sam
Martin Is the conference's
leading shooter In field goal
accuracy. Martin Is hitting 55.6
per cent, but he's taken only 35
shots, 20 successfully.
Four of the next five profi
ciency shooters, Including three
sophomores, are Big Eight
newcomers.
K-Stute sophomore David
Hall Is hitting 53.2 per cent,
Colorado Junior college transfer
Freddie Shell 53.2 per cent and
Nebraska sophs Al Nissen aand
Chuck Jura, 51.7 and 50 9 per
cent, respectively.
Missouri leads the conference
In both field goal and free
throw percentage while Kansas
Is the top rebounding club.
(.ding icartri Inclurtti 1. Oava
Roblich, KU, IV Ol J CUM MaalV, CO,
. 3. Bill Cain, ISU, I.4; 4. barflold
Hiwd. OO. Uli S. Aaron Jonklnt. ISU,
15 1 t-7. II bilvmn Mtnry Imlth and
Don Tomllinon, both Mil, 14.1 (. Tom
tcantlbry, NU, li t . Gordon Tom,
CU, ll.lt 10. Pltrrt HukKll, K.U, 1)7.
by STEVE SINCLAIR
Assistant Sports Editor
Kentucky and Indiana high
school basketball is reputed to
be the nation's best. The
Nebraska freshmen basketball
team's leading scorer agrees.
"I don't want to crack
Nebraska high school basket
ball," says Tony Riehl (pro
nounced reel.) "but it just
seems like the style of play in
Kentucky is a lot better."
The Louisville, Ky., native
seems qualified to speak on the
subject, having played
organized basketball since the
fourth grade.
"NEBRASKA HAS better
football, and Kentucky has
better basketball," Riehl says.
"That's just the way it is."
NU basketball coach Joe
Cipriano also recognizes the
quality of basketball played in
Kentucky liigh schools and tries
to get as many Tony Riehl's as
possible.
The Husker coach made a
large haul from Kentucky last
fall when he landed Riehl and
fellow Kentuckian Randy Watts
of Richmond.
Riehl was an all-stater for
coach Clyde Smith at Louisville
DeSales High School.
HIS DECISION to attend
Nebraska was an easy one, and
he's been happy ever since.
"After I visited the campus I
knew I would be coming here,"
Riehl says.
"We have good team unity,
and we play the same type of
ball I played in high school,"
he adds.
The 6-4 freshman claims two
disappointing events in his first
... "( 7
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Husker swimmers
host Oklahoma St,
The Nebraska swimming team will be seeking its fourth
straight dual meet victory against Oklahoma State Friday
at 7:30 p.m. in the Coliseum pool.
The upstart tankers have handled Colorado, Iowa State
and Oklahoma in their last three outings.
Nebraska has two swimmers ranked high in tlie latest
statistics released by the Big Eight conference. Dave Backer
is third in the 100-yard freestyle (:49.4) and Dave Schmidt
ranks fourth In the 200-yard backstroke (2:06.5).
Oklahoma State is led by Don Ferguson in the 200-yard
freestyle.
The I tuskers have one more tuneup at Kansas on Feb.
21 before heading to the Big Eight meet at Iowa State
March 5 and 6.
year as a Husker losses to
Nebraska Western Junior
College and Iowa State. .
The Husker frosh get a
rematch with the Iowa State
yearlings Saturday morning
before the varsity game
against Missouri. "We had
better beat them, or coach
(Rex Hughes) will kill us,"
Riehl said.
RIEHL HAS piled up 181
points in his first eight games
for an average of 20.1. He hit 30
last Saturday against Iowa
Western for his top on -game
effort.
Fan support in Kentucky is
high, but it doesn't compare to
the support in Lincoln, ac
cordinc to Richl. "I couldn't
believe the fans at the first big
basketball game this year," he
said.
Husker
trackmen
at CU
The Nebraska track team
will try to keep its perfect dual
meet record intact Saturday
when it meets Colorado at
Boulder.
The Huskers have disposed of
Southern Illinois and Kansas
State in a 2-0 season. A win will
push coach Frank Sevigne's
career dual meet record to 79
27. The Huskers and Buffs have
met 13 times in indoor track
dual competition. Nebraska has
won eight of tlie m e e t s and
Colorado five.
Colorado is led by sprinter
hurdler Marcus Walker. He has
the conference lending times in
both hurdle events (60-yard
lows, :06.7 and 60-yard highs,
:07.0) and is ranked third In the
60-yard dash (:06.1)
Nebraska's Don Quarrie also
has a :06.1 clocking to his
credit.
Colorado pole vaulter Mike
Wedmcn Is one of the nation's
leading pole vaulters with a 17
0 indoor mark. The Buffs' T. J.
Hicks is the Big 8's leading
long jumper with a 24 5
stretch.
Huskers showing improve
ment in last week's competition
were Greg Carlberg in the mile
(4:11.2), and 1000 (2:14.7), Dan
Brooks in the high jump (6
7',ii), Randy Butts in the 60
yard low hurdles (:07.0), and
Eric Heeler in the long jump
(23-10',i).
The mile relay should be a
hotly contested race Saturday.
Colorado's quartet has posted a
3:21.3 clocking. Nebraska's
mile relay team has clocked
3:21.9.
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1970
