Every year, about this time, varsity basketball coach Norm Shepard faces the asine headscline, deciding which latter-winners from last year's squad he has to keep on the bench. In each of the last three years, freshman coach Floyed Wilson has developed several fine varsity prospects, and each time at least two of them have moved directly to the varsity's starting vice, replacing the more experienced upperclassmen.

But this season Shepard has more troubles than usual. Last year's freshman squad was the best in Crimson history, and accordingly, this year's group of sophomores has pushed four returning lettermen into second string berths.

Shepard's starting lineup Saturday lists three sophomores along with junior Bill Dennis and senior captain Dick Lionotte, who were one-two in scoring last year. The big-time newcomers will be Harry Sachs, playing forward with Dennis, and Paul shaw and Roger Dulgor at the guards.

Dennis, Lionetic Will Start

Two more starters on last season's freshman squad will stand in reserve as first-string substitutes. Former Yard captain Rollin Perry will fill in for either Dennis, Sachs, or Shaw, while Dick Manning is ready to replace Lionette at the center pivot.

The four men who played on last year's varsity are still not far from consideration, however. Ed Krinsky is pushing Bulger hard for one guard slot, with Ed Condon right behind him. Senior Forest Hansen, the only double letter winner on the team besides Lionette, is also pressing for a starting position. Bob Grump, who had the highest shooting average on the 1951-2 team, can substitute at either forward.

According to Shepard, this year's team figures to be "better balanced in set shots, speed, ball-handling, and defense" than last year's squad. The coach admits there are some defensive weaknesses, but he plans to use a man-to-man defense fairly consistently for the first time in his four-year tenure here. The man-to-man defense is much harder to operate effectively than the zone system.

The players this year are definitely scoring conscious with Bulger the only so-called "defensive" player on the starting team. But even Bulger, Shepard expects, will be able to average about eight points a game. Dennis, who scored over 25 points several last season, was never the less one of the poorest percentage shooters on the team. With the more potent all-around team this year, Shepard hopes that Sachs and Shaw will do a lot of scoring. Lifting from Dennis' hands the responsibility of carrying the team.

Actually, both Shaw and Bulger are better set shots than Dennis, who will do most of his shooting on drives and jump shots close-up. Shaw, Sachs, and Bulger also can drive well, with Sachs likely to lay in a lot of short "dump" shots right under the basket. Both Dennis and Sachs draw fouls often, and both can net a good percentage of free throws.

Lionette, whom Shepard feels is "distinctly improved" this year, has been passing well in practice off the pivot, and his hook shot can be unstoppable. Shepard predicts all his starters have the ability to score over 15 points on any given night, and says all five of them can't go cold at the same time-he hopes.

Along with speed and shooting eyes, the varsity this year has an average height of 6 feet 1 inch. Lionette at 6 feet 5 inches tops the team, with Shaw and Sachs about even at 6 feet 3 inches. Bulger is the only starter under six feet-he stretches to five feet 9 inches. Sachs and Lionette are consistently the best rebounders on the first five, though Manning covered the boards best for the team in its three scrimmages so far this fall.

The varsity easily won these three encounters with M.I.T., Rhode Island U., and the Business School. Shepard also recently praised the fine play of the team during practices.

Improvement Seen

On the whole, this year's team can hardly fail to better the record of the '51-52 team, which won only five games. The coach is not predicting any won-lost record yet, but he feels the team is good enough to beat almost any opponent on its schedule. Much depends on the newcomers, who are unusually mature as sophomores come, but sophomores nevertheless, and inexperienced in varsity competition. And lastly there's that wonderful bench, full of returning latter winners-usually the dream of "My coach, but only a source of bewilderment for Mr. Shepard.