Sophomore forward Ken Plutnicki is ordinarily a rising star on coach Frank McLaughlin's Crimson basketball team. By the end of this season, don't be surprised to see the lanky sophomore coming into contests as the regular sixth man. The coaches--McLaughlin and assistant coach Rick Duckett--are high on his skills on the hardcourt.

But for a few short minutes in yesterday's practice, Plutnicki was--metaphorically speaking--on the outside, looking in on the Crimson five Like most coaches, McLaughlin likes to run through opponents' plays before the game, and this means amateur theater under the boards.

Yesterday, Plutnicki lost his identity as the man who would save the Harvard defense, and became--presto-changeo--Navy's star guard, Bob Romaine. Basing his moves on Duckett's scouting report of Thursday's Navy-Holy Cross game, Plutnicki flashed from the high to low right post, and then followed the baseline back across the lane, usually receiving a pass somewhere in that routine.

But Plutnicki--as Romaine--didn't live up to his reputation as a hot scoring guard, refusing to go for the points as Romaine is sure to do this afternoon (2p.m.) at the IAB, when the Crimson face the Mid-shipmen, Romaine is a gunner, and he can score from virtually anywhere. He scored 17 in Navy's narrow loss to Holy Cross, and he can drive to the basket or shoot from the outside.

The Middies promise to bring a roung-and-ready crew into town for this first meeting between schools since the 1969-70 season. Most of the scoring should come from the backcourt of Romaine and Michael Brooks, another guard with a beautiful open shot up to 17 feet.

The Middies should throw a 2-3 set offense at the Crimson defense, and will defend against the Harvard attack with a 1-2-2 zone that may extend into a modified full court zone press. That D will have to contend with an offense that has found a dangerous new weapon in the scoring power of Calvin Dixon, junior point guard extraordinaire.

After not scoring near his potential for the last two years, Dixon has started taking the ball to the hoop, often with spectacular results. The assists should pile up for Dixon as he passes off to a plethora of talented shooters.

If you climb the four flights up to the IAB gym, expect to see Crimson captain Donld Fleming explode off a mini-mini slump that has pestered him during the early part of the season. That's just a hunch, sports.