BASKETBALL

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25894, 29 August 1949, Page 8

BASKETBALL

AUCKLAND WINS N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP CANTERBURY BEATEN BY ONE GOAL (New Zealand Press Association.) DUNEDIN, August 28. Auckland won the New Zealand Cup when it beat Canterbury by 20 goals to 19 on the final day of the Dominion women’s basketball tournament on Saturday. Canterbury led at half-time by 12 goals to 8, but fine team work and accurate shooting by the Auckland players turned the game in their favour, with Canterbury making desperate attempts to equalise when time was called. Canterbury, who will hold the Annie Brown Cup for the runners-up, scored 12 match points during the tournament, and Auckland scored 13. Tauranga, with 21 points, won the President’s Shield for the winning team in the second grade competition, and Waikato, which was second, received the Hayhurst Cup. Marlborough was the only team at the tournament to win all its matches, and was awarded the Kiwi trophy for the leading team in the third grade competition, with 22 points. Canterbury Minor, which scored 18 points, won the Armstrong Shield for runner-up. The retiring president of the New Zealand Basketball Association (Mrs H. D. Muir) presented., the trophies after the game between Auckland and Canterbury, and the president of the Otago Basketball Association (Mrs W. B. Taveper) presented badges and bars to South and North Island representatives. The game between the North and South Islands for the Atkinson trophy resulted in a draw, 15 goals each. South Island scored first but the North Island side settled down quickly and led for most of the first half. S. Harris (North Island) shooting some excellent goals. At halftime the score was North Island 10, South Island 8. Play was scrappy in the second spell, and both sides made careless mistakes. South Island drew level in the closing stages. The day’s results were:— First Grade:—Auckland 20, Canterbury 19; Nelson 14, West Coast 12; Wanganui 14, Manawatu 12; Southland 15, Hawke’s Bay 14; Otago 17, Wellington 10; Southland 15, Manawatu 10. Second Grade.—South Canterbury 15, Horowhenua 4; South Canterbury 17, Nelson 11; Taranaki 14, Matamata 6; Tauranga 19, Southland Minor 6; Waikato 13, Matamata 11; Southland Minor 9. Horowhenua 9; Tauranga 8, Hutt Valley 2; Hutt Valley 10, West Coast 5; Tauranga 16, Taranaki 10; Poverty Bay 19. Wairoa 9; Waikato 13, Wairoa 1; South Canterbury 13. Poverty Bay 10. Third Grade.—Otago Minor 7. Wairarapa 4; Canterbury Minor 12, North Otago 7; Marlborough 17, Kaikoura 6; North Otago 12, Waikato Minor 4; Kaikoura 16, Temuka 4; Temuka 19, Hawke’s Bay Minor 7; Manawatu Minor 11, Otago Minor 8; Marlborough 14, Wairarapa 7; Kaikoura 13, Putaruru 5; Tekawau 10. Putaruru 4; Canterbury Minor 11, Hawke’s Bay Minor 3; Waikato Minor 10, Putaruru 9.

NOTES ON THE PLAY

“The Press” Special Service DUNEDIN. August 28. The match between Auckland and Canterbury was the hardest and most exciting game seen at the tournament. The teams were evenly matched and their fortunes varied as the game progressed The previously unbeaten Canterbury side was regarded as the likely winner before the match, but the Auckland players settled down quickly and used the same tactics the Canterbury team employed with great success during the tourna-

J. Murray, in the Canterbury forwards, was -outstanding in both field work and shooting, while the Canterbury centre continually broke up the challengers' movements. M. Sullivan, the tall Auckland captain, played an inspired game, and although she was closely marked by B. Newey (Canterbury), guided her third into good scoring positions. J. Hickey was always prominent in the Auckland centre. Auckland won the toss and opened the scoring with two goals soon after the start of the game. Strong centre play and accurate shooting by the Canterbury forwards put their team ahead and the half-time score favoured Canterbury by 12 goals to 8. Auckland rallied strongly in the second spell and with the centre developing a better combination, the forwards had more opportunities to score and five more goals were added to the Auckland total. The Canterbury forwards made desperate attempts to equalise in the closing stages of the game, but could not penetrate the sound defence of L. Black and Y. Webb. CLUB MATCHES Results of club basketball games played in Christchurch on Saturday are as folSecond Grade.—Section final: Ethne Tosswill 24, West Old Girls 16. Third Grade.—Semi-final: Cathedral 28, West Old Girls 25. Fourth Grade.—Section final: Cathedral 21, Argyle 14. Quarter final: Technical 33. Halswell 12; Tudena 16, Petone 13. Semi-final: Sunnyside 16, West Old Girls 13. Fifth Grade.—Cathedral 24, Nazareth 22.