BASKETBALL

George Blaney, the man who succeeded Dave Gavitt as Dartmouth's basketball coach this fall, inherits a team that produced the Green's best record (10-15) in a decade and includes eight lettermen. The Indians will have the best overall height for a Dartmouth team in recent years and show signs of being a solid scoring unit.

Greg Pickering, the reelected captain who has led Dartmouth in rebounding and assists for two seasons, joins high-scoring forward Alex Winn as the top returnees. Winn, the 6-7 forward who had a 20.2-point average as a junior, seems to have sharpened his eye and gained greater range this season.

Two sophomores - Paul Erland, a 6-5 forward who led the freshmen last winter with an 18.6-point average, and 6-10 center Jim Masker - appear ready to break into the starting lineup. Masker could become one of the outstanding pivots in the East while Erland is a versatile shooter and strong rebounder. Rounding out the front court are senior Karl Steinmanis, juniors John Ryzewic and Bill Jacobson, and sophomore Tom Byron.

The guard picture is also promising with sophomore Ed Wisneski appearing ready to press junior Joe Cook for a starting berth. Elsewhere in the backcourt, Blaney has valuable experience in juniors Jerry O'Brien and Van McQueen, while sophomores Garry Dicovitsky, John Van Kurin, and Barry Leutscher will provide the depth, with Van Kurin the best bet to jump into the lineup.

The Indians turned in an effective scrimmage effort against Boston College, with Winn, Masker, and Pickering providing the top performances for the Green.