Very few people around Cambridge are talking about basketball yet, but down at the I.A.B. a determined squad and an equally determined coach are working to produce a winning combination. They face one serious problem: a lack of height.

The only tall man on the team is 6 ft., 8 in. Griff McClellan, last year's second-string center. McClellan has undeniable potential, but at present lacks sufficient speed, mobility, and poise to be a first-rate center. Nonetheless, he has looked fairly impressive in practice sessions thus far and should improve as the season progresses.

According to coach Floyd Wilson, who had his best season last year, "In order to have any kind of a season, we've got to have a really good year from McClellan, no injuries, and a lot of breaks."

One of the blows to Wilson's hopes of equalling or bettering last year's 16-9 record is the loss of Bryant Danner, who is one a leave of absence. "Before we lost Danner," he says, "I would have said that this would be a difficult season; with his loss, it will be even more difficult."

Thus, it looks as though the Crimson will be a run-and-gun team this year. "We can shoot," Wilson emphasizes, and indeed the squad will have to rely on the marksmanship of its backcourt men.

Leading the team will be Bob Repetto, a senior guard who averaged 11 points a game last year. He will probably be joined in the backcourt by either Mike Donohue, a fine ball-handler with a good set shot, or George Harrington, who missed most of last season because of mononucleosis. In any case, all three are likely to be part of the starting quintet, despite the fact that they are all guards.

The fifth starting position seems up for grabs between senior forward George James, junior Dave Grayer, and sophomores Bob Bowditch and Bill Richling. Bowditch led the freshmen in scoring last year, relying mainly on his left-handed jump shot from almost any spot on the floor. He also rebounds well.

Others still on the squad, but unlikely mainstays, are John Fox, Ed Cuff, Jim Dyer, Dick Dannay, and John Soucek. Wilson fears that this year's will be "a shallow team"; there will be no J.V.

As for the Ivy League, Wilson hopes to improve on last season's 7-7 record, which was good only for a fifth-place finish. According to Wilson, Dartmouth "is far and away the best in the league," as they lost only one man from an excellent starting five. Cornell, Wilson feels, will be the only threat to the Indians.

The first Ivy contest for the varsity will be on Jan. 5, at Providence against Brown. Before Christmas vacation, the squad will play six non-League games.