- Saturday, February 25 1922 -
SIAA Tournament (at Atlanta, GA)
Kentucky - 22 (Head Coach: George C. Buchheit)
Player | FG | FT | Pts |
---|---|---|---|
William King | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Bob Lavin | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Paul Adkins | 4 | 0 | 8 |
Gilbert Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lawrence Burnham | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Basil Hayden | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Fred Fest | 1 | 0 | 2 |
A. T. Rice | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 6 | 10 | 22 |
Mercer - 35 (Head Coach: Josh Cody)
Player | FG | FT | Pts |
---|---|---|---|
Emmett Pope | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Consuello Smith | 3 | 0 | 6 |
Robert Gamble | 4 | 0 | 8 |
George Harmon | 5 | 11 | 21 |
Ed "Smoky" Harper | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Manly McWilliams | 0 | 0 | 0 |
I. Giddens Wilkes | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 12 | 11 | 35 |
Prior Game | | | Next Game |
Georgetown College 41 - 21 | | | Georgetown College 24 - 13 |
Three Great Battles Thrill Big Audience at the Auditorium
The Mercer Baptist pulled the biggest surprise of the tournament when they defeated the University of Kentucky, champions of 1921, by the score of 35 to 22. The game was spectacular from beginning to end and was so hotly fought at times that the play necessarily became too rough. For this reason several players were ejected on account of too many personal fouls.
Both teams were ready and waiting at the opening whistle and a field goal was rung up by both sides to start things off with. Then the Baptists shoved it into high and pulled away from the Kentuckians until the score was 12 to 2. They were never headed again. The score at the end of the first half was 18 to 10 in their favor.
In the second period Mercer never let up one whit and increased their lead even more. The play in this period was especially fierce and the players were sprawling all over the floor a large part of the time.
George Harmon, the flashy little guard of the Mercer team, goes the majority of the credit for his team's victory. Too much cannot be said in praise of his work. He was literally all over the floor at once and his long distance shooting was nothing short of uncanny. Several times he tossed the ball through the basket from over half the length of the court. In all he scored 21 points for the Baptist. Gamble, at center, was also a thorn in the side of the Kentuckians. For the losers, the playing of Atkins at center was best. He tried hard to stave off defeat, but Mercer was not to be stopped in this game. Lavin, at forward, was also a star.
Game Writeup - Atlanta Constitution
MERCER 35, KENTUCKY 22
Kentucky University, champions of the South, a title earned in the basketball tournament held here last year, were tossed from their throne in the second game of the evening program. The Mercer Baptists, coached by Joshua Cody, former Vanderbilt gridiron hero turning the trick, 35 to 22.
George Harmon, running guard for the Immersionists, played the greatest game of his career, and was given the generous assistance of his comrades in separating the Kentuckians from their crown. Harmon's work was perhaps the most outstanding exhibition of individual effort shown during the tournament, the crowd being electrified time after time by the brilliancy of his play.
The lads from Dark and Bloody Ground fought hard to stay in the tournament, but their desperate fight was to no avail. Mercer, playing at the top of their game looked good enough to lick the best in the business and the Kentuckians never had a chance.
There was nothing sudden about the Baptists' victory. Apparently it came as a result of a carefully planned campaign. Mercer jumped off to a lead and before Kentucky was aware of just what was going on, the Bibb county quintet had a margin that was safely maintained.
The end of the first half found the count at 18-10 with Mercer on the big end and approximately the same margin was maintained to the close. In the last stages of the struggle, when Kentucky was nearly frantic over the press of time, Mercer matched the Wildcats every field goal with one that carried just as many points.
In the end, Mercer's persistency wrecked the morale of the Kentuckians, and the end found the Baptists clicking away merrily at the baskets.
Lavin, at forward, was one of the big stars for Kentucky. Hayden, badly injured in a scrimmage Friday afternoon, was rushed into the game as a final resort to avert the impending disaster, but he was powerless to stem the steady charge of the Baptists.