Nat "Mr. Basketball" Holman, in his 32nd year an court coach of City College of New York, has never tired of the nomadic life force on him by his profession. The sharply-dressed, tight-lipped businessman coach still like the long travelling of the on-season, likes the riotous welcomes given him by City college alumni in all parts of the country--and likes to talk about it. "Even out on the west coast on our last trip." he says with a slow chuckle, "the C.C.N.Y. grads really came out of hiding."

They came out of hiding the other night at the Graduate Center when a large number of City alumni gathered for the first time in this area to fete Holman and his national champions. The members of the '50-51 squad were practicing on the Blockhouse boards for their Wednesday evening meeting with Holy Cross at the Garden.

The reception was planned by former Cityites Ira Kukin 1G, Herbert B. Thau 3L, and Ascher Katz 3L. Kukin and his confederates have had the possibility of a local graduate organization in mind since last year when they saw the enthusiasm and support via Cambridge television of the "Grand Slam Kids"--the Beaver team that swept through seven straight games to take both the National Invitation Tournament and N.C.A.A. titles in Madison Square Garden.

Caught up in the current--and possibly valid--obsession that the primary duty of a basketball coach is to win games, Holman admitted his bitterness about the five games City has dropped to date. "Only one of them was lost legitimately," he complained, but added quickly, "Not that my boys have a price."

Holman's "boys" were all there, ducking under the doorway as they entered--Ed Warner, Most Valuable Player in the N.I.T. Ed Roman, one of the game's most versatile tall men, iron-man guards Floyd Lane and Al Roth, and the players who fill out the weaker fifth position. They were looking a little self-conscious in identical chocolate-brown traveling suits which a manager explained, "helps us to keep them together."

But the Beavers are never self-conscious on the court, and yet they own a mediocre nine-and-five record. Every opponent has been pointing for a win over the Grand Slammers; Holman is inclined to put a lesser emphasis on his graduation losses and the injuries that have plagued Warner and Roman this season. "There are no individuals," he Insists. "You have to use five men."

But in the 73-63 Holy Cross game, where City handed the Crusaders their first defeat in 12 Garden starts, it rapidly became apparent to the gallery of Harvard-C.C.N.Y. fans that, in spite of his earlier statements, Holman was relying heavily on individuals. Roman, Werner, Lane, and Roth played the entire game. The first two scored 43 points.

The grad-school spectators yelled anyway, because the four-man-plus team looked like champions for the first time this season. Holman threw a slow, deliberate offense at the Crusaders, in contrast to the usual fast-breaking Beaver style. With Romar and Warner alternating in the pivot, Holman's plays constantly drew the shifting man-to-man front line of defense out of position. The Crusaders had far more trouble with Holmans tight three-two zone. But the short of its was--the starting four lasted.

They may be able to last for the rest of the season. Kukin, Thau, and Katz and a lot of others hope so. If they do, it won't be easy to get close to a Cambridge television set in late March.