Big Four Prep Cagers Open Campaign Friday By DICK PALMER Salt Lake City hoop fans get their first glimpse of the Big Four wax court artists Friday when East meets West at the Deseret gym and Ogden swaps baskets with South in the Cub lair. The South B game will be played an hour later. The East-West C teams open the other series at 3 p. m., with the B and A games fol¬lowing at 4 and 5 p. m., respective¬ly. Ogden will not be represented in the C division. The Panthers, with the strongest team in several seasons, loom as real title threats. The West B team is well rounded, having both height and speed. Coach Bert Ballard may use the theory that a strong offense is the best defense and switch the versatile Deb (Legs) Smith from his regular guard post to forward, where he would team with the speedy little Sterl Paul, coring ace. Along with John Dun¬can, this trio is expected to raise havoc with all opposition. Lefty Sorenson and Myron Hall are developing into good defense performers. Don Mayne, Ken Lar-sen, Armand Perri and Rondo Hogle will give the Panthers plenty of reserve strength. The Leopards are still confronted with the problem of getting a ca¬pable defensive mate for (Power-house) Bettridge. Bob Barker and Max Calley are scrapping for the post. Milner Dunn, six-foot two-inch giant, has the pivot post well in hand, while Ted (Dead Eye) Dufer, East's main scoring threat, will play at forward. Emerson Hardy started the season slow, but has taken a turn for the better in the last few workouts and probably will get the other forward assign¬ment. Eddie Kilgore and Don Riggs will alternate with Hardy on offense, and Jack Armstong, who is nursing a bad ankle, may see action on the guard line. Mentor Eddie Isaacson, after cutting 40 men from a squad of 52 aspirants, is rounding the remain¬ing basketeers into a classy look¬ing outfit. The Cubs have a strong forward line in Harold Christianson and Art Olson, with Max, Speedie and Art Thornwall alternating at center. Christiansen should account for plenty of the Cubs' scoring before the season is over. Thornwell is equally efficient at either forward or guard. Clyde Ashworth and Earl Thurman play a smooth floor game and will get the nod over Wally Burt and Bob Blackhurst for the starting defensive positions. Douglas Mercer and Lynn Davis will see plenty of action. Tigers Touted Ogden's past hoop record speaks for itself, and the Tigers are ex¬pected to cop the opener against South. Coach Dixon Kapple's squad is extremely fast, as well as having plenty of height. Men expected to see action in Friday's battle are Sherman French, Frank Olson, Clair Wayment, Ray Stewart, Keith Peterson and Allen Bader. Competition in the B division is as keen as in the A this year, with both divisions' victories counting equally in determining the title. Coach Marv Pugh of East an¬nounced his starting lineup would include Chuck Adams and Dick Dorton. forwards; Bob Forbes, cen¬ter, and (Huck) Adelt and Woody Peterson at guards. Floyd Romney, West mentor, is undecided as to his first string. Paul Hood, Paul Sagers and Carlson at guards; Mark Tolich and Paul Sibrowsky at centers; with (Dusky) Brooks, Drexel and Scillicorn at forwards. South will start Brent Goates and Ed Scott at forwards; Chick Brown at center, and Howard Gillman and Shirley Jensen at guards, against the Tiger B squad. Ted Dufer . . . To start at forward for East A squad. Max Speedle . . . Will play center for South team.