Harvard men's basketball enters new era tonight as a top Chinese club team invades Briggs Athletic Center tonight for the first ever game in the renovated facility.

The season opening exhibition game against hangsu of Peking gives the Crimson an opportunities to take hearings after weeks of preseason practice. It is a midterm exam for us. Harvard Coach Frank McLaughlin said yesterday. It is a chance to see how we've done up to now.

With only two players graduated from the team that Street and Smith Basket ball yearbook picked to garner the Ivy crown last year. You'd think McLaughlin would have little to worry about But after last year's 11-15 overall finish (6-8 in the Ivies), the pundits pick Harvard to bush sixth in the eight team league.

What happened 'The cagers suffered three key injuries and looked the depth to stay at loot. One year later depth is less of a problem, with 12 returning lettermen ready to chip in.

Even with the injury problems. Harvard stayed close in all but one of its consents, losing 11 games by less than six points.

Perhaps the biggest problem facing McLaughlin's squad is the loss to graduation of Don Fleming. Harvard's career scoring leader. The three-time first team All-Ivy forward averaged 16.8 points per game, almost a quarter of the team's offensive output.

McLaughlin thinks he can find the points, however. "The offense is team-oriented, so we should come back all right," the five-year coach said

Fleming had the power to spark the Crimson with power baskets and crowd-pleasing blocks, momentum switchers necessary for a team to fight back against a rallying opponent. Now the burden of court leadership falls on the shoulders of Co-Captain Calvin Dixon and junior front-counters Joe Carrabino and Monroe Trout.

Dixon will direct traffic from the point guard position, and Harvard hoop fans are crossing their fingers that Dixon will escape injury A showy ball handler, the 5 ft, 10-in senior is a master the art of running an of fense, but a severe knee kept him out of the lineup for eight weeks last year and limited his playing time near the end of the season Despite the knee problem Dixon led the team in assists.

Joining Dixon in the Crimson backcourt will be sophomore Both Ferry Harvard's third leading scorer last season. Ferry earned Ivy League Rookie of the year honors for his smooth spot Ferry hit 53 percent from the floor while playing in all 26 games last year, and McLaughlin may look to the 6-ft., 4-in sharpshooter to fill some of the scoring gap left by Fleming's graduation.

Although preseason injuries may keep Carrabino and Trout out by tonight exhibition, the pair should take two of the three starting slots in the front court Carrbinoav averaged 14.8 points per games last season second only to Fleming. The 6 it 8 in juniors is a threat from outside as well as underneath the hoop, and his 97.6 percent success at the line ranked him a among the nation's stop free throw shooters for the 1981 82 campaign Honorable Mention. All Ivy last year and league Rookie of the year in 1981. Carrabino has the potential to take command of the Harvard offence.

An inch taller than Carrabino. Trout will control the key. The junior shot 659 from the field last year to set a Harvard single season record, and the Crimson may ask him to shoot a little more this season.

"People expected an awful lot of Carrabino and Trout and forgot they were sophomores [last year]. "McLaughlin said, explaining that now with two years under their belts his junior forwards are more prepared to assume leadership roles.

Co-Captain George White, junior Ken Plutnicki and freshman Greg Wildes are all in the running for the other front-line opening.

Sophomore Kyle Standley and freshman Pat Smith should get playing time at guard.