Ole Miss
B. L. GRAHAM
B. L. (Country) GRAHAM  as a player and coach, quiet Bonnie Lee Graham is "Mr. Basketball" as far as Ole Miss is concerned. Making steady progress in guiding the Rebel courtmen in a league that has become one of the fastest in the nation, he is presenting a well-drilled squadhis thirdthat figures to show consistent development. His Ole Miss teams will continue to improve.
Graham was a Helms Foundation All-America in 1938, the first Southeastern Conference player (save for Kentucky's representatives) to be recognized. He was All-Southeastern that same season in leading Ole Miss to the finals of the league tournament. The 71 points he scored in that meet still stand as a three-game tourney record.
Overall, through three campaigns, Graham set 35 conference scoring records and only two of his marks had been broken prior to Alex Groza's final season with Kentucky. Groza eclipsed a good many but some still remain, Cliff Hagan taking care of one of these January 3 in Owensboro when he bucketed 17 of 18 free throws against the Rebels. Graham's old record was 16 of 18 against Louisiana State in '36.
He was a pioneer of the one-handed hook shot, a play he initiated with his back to the basket. Developed from a leap and pivot, the shot was highly-arched, was well-nigh unguardable. Graham was only 6-3 in height and therefore lacked the skyscraper advantage that most of today's pivotmen boast. Also, he played during the last seasons of the center jump when scoring generally was at a lower level than the current fire-brand style.
However, he scored 1259 points during three seasons, averaging 16.6 points; 664 points in 39 SEC games for a 17-point average, and 575 points in 32 1937-38 games for a 17.9 average.
Match the scoring in today's basketball with team levels in 1936-38, and Graham's point pace becomes all the more remarkable.
In addition to basketball, he lettered for three seasons at end in football.
Basketball at Ole Miss
Mississippi's 1951-52 basketball array lacks only matching height at the pivot to make it a top-flight machine. Even without the big man, the Rebels are a competent, fast-moving outfit, will seldom be outdistanced in score power this winter.
Ole Miss averaged better than 75 points per outing through its first seven engagements and was reaching that peak on occasion in January and February engagements.
Main men on the point chart are forwards Robert (Cob) Jarvis of Booneville, an All-America prep ace, and Ken Robbins of Oxford, the team's leading scorer in 1950-51; Al Graehler
of Jasper, Ind., senior, and Ralph Ross of Vin-cennes, Ind., junior, at guards, and senior center Jim Childers of Memphis. This fivesome probably will open against Kentucky tonight.
First-line replacements will be drawn from Jerome Stenftenagel of Jasper, junior forward; Dugan Abernathy of Jonesboro, Ark., soph center-forward, and guards Ken Lindsey of Booneville, junior; Cliff Mehrtens, senior, and Eddie Stenftenagel, sophomore, both of Jasper. Other capable performers are Roy (Crip) Pressley, frosh guard from Henderson, Ky.; Billy Renfroe of Pensacola, Fla., senior guard, and Walter Johnson of Tiplerville, senior forward.
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