McCloud, Doll and Hamburg Form Buff Trio; Sailors and Del Smith are Other Selections.

by Frank Hraway

The Denver Post herewith presents its 1942 all-Big Seven conference basketball team, honoring the three brightest stars of Colorado university's champions, and one player each from Wyoming university and Utah university.

Leason (Pete) McCloud, one of the greatest scoring forwards in Rocky Mountain basketball history; Bob Doll, panther-like center, and George Hamburg, rugged, high scoring guard, are Colorado's contributions to the all-star team.

Kenny Sailors, Wyoming's streak of lightning, gets the other forward spot and classy Delbert Smith of Utah the guard slot.

Only two other players were in the running for first team berths - big Milo Komenich, a 6-foot 7-inch center, and clever Bill Strannigan, guard - both of Wyoming.

Komenich wasn't as good a ball player during the season as Doll. In order to get him on, it would have been necessary to shift him to forward. That would have forced off either McCloud or Sailors, both of whom left no question as to their right on any Big Seven all-star aggregation.

Strannigan, handicapped by illness during the middle of the season, did not quite perform up to the standard of his sophomore and junior years, when he made all-conference honors, and was barely crowded out by Deb Smith of Utah. Hamburg, altho too rough to suit some observers, was a great ball player thruout and unquestionably deserved his honors.

The second team is composed entirely of Wyoming and Brigham Young stars. The Cougars rate both the forwards - hot-shooting little Dwane Esplin and Frank Fullmer.

On the third five are Kenny Sowards, Utah, and Maurice (Bud) Parker of Colorado State, forwards; Verne Hoffman, Utah State, Center; Floyd Giles, Brigham Young, and Leonard Alterman, Denver university, guards.

Oddly enough, all of the players on last year's Denver Post all-Big Seven team were in competition again this year. Yet only McCloud and Smith are repeaters. The others in 1941 were Strannigan, Rothman and Vaughan Bennion, Utah center, who had a mediocre season this year.

A few comments on each position follows:

Forwards

McCloud's on-handed shot was the most phenominal in these parts in some time and absolutely unstoppable when he was having a good night - which was practically every night he played. In addition he was cool, heady and saved his shots for the most important moments. It was his hot streaks that broke the backs of C.U.'s opponents more than anything else. Sailors, the fastest man in the league, made the ball do tricks with his dribbling, put the defense on its heels, and set up basket after basket for his Cowboy mates. In addition he was one of the best front-line defensive men in this region in a long time.