Basketball TECHNICAL BEATEN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28951, 20 July 1959, Page 5

Basketball TECHNICAL BEATEN

Sacred Heart In Lead

The defeat of Technical by West Old Girls B caused a major upset in the Canterbury Basketball Association’s senior competition on Saturday. Technical was joint leader with Sacred Heart. The senior competition, now in its eleventh round and with three rounds to be played, is in a most interesting position. Points to' date are as follows:'— Sacred Heart 20. Technical and Kakatai 18, West B 10, West A 8, Digby's 7, Teachers’ College 6, St. Nicholas 2. Next Saturday to enable players to attend the Rugby football, games will be played in the morning at 9 o’clock. Results of senior games were as follows: West B 26, Technical 20. Sacred Heart 27, St. Nicholas 13. Digby’s 31, West A 20. Kakatai teachers’ College nr TECHNICAL v. WEST B With centre P. Edmonds and deC 1 Blown unable to play, Technical was forced to rearrange iiKi., team and . this no doubt possibly accounted for its early uncertainty. The West B forwards encountered little opposition to their strong attack in the early c> anc L good teamwork West B challenged strongly. The Technical forwards, with little ref a » .?? r , the strong. wind, perSl ?tently attempted shots from just within the circle, and their frequent missed goals in this spell were invariably retrieved by the West defence, H. Islip and B. Mollison. Superiority in this department gave West a territorial advantage and with excellent support from centres, L. Maish, 1. Johnson, and J. Brownie, and fine shooting by the forwards, C. McMaster and T. Langford, West had gained a decisive lead of 15 goals to 8 by half-time. In an effort to break up West’s forward combination, Technical moved its resolute and experienced defence, B. Rowe, to guard the youthful C. McMaster, but the West B centre astutely counteracted this move, and West continued to enjoy a territorial advantage to lead by 21 goals to 13. The Technical forwards, J. Fuller and P. Dorward, found better shooting positions in this spell, but Technical’s play from set moves seldom reached its objecuve and was consistently intercepted by the mobile West centres. L. Marsh and J. Brownie. Wrth the score West 26, Technical 16, and little time remaining. Technical belatedly found form and play became fast and exciting. This fastminute competence, however, though resulting in. a rapid gain of four goals, came too late to affect the result and West had a good lead at the liral whistle.

The scores were West B 26. Technical 20. ■ The referee was Mrs D. Hughes. SACRED HEART V. ST. NICHOLAS St. Nicholas enjoyed an early advantage when Sacred Heart's shot from tne circle failed and St. Nicholas took play to its circle, where J. Fraser goaled. St. Nicholas led by 2 goals to nil, but scores were levelled at 2-all. Determined defence by G. Lethaby and E. Wood kept the Sacred Heart forwards out of the circle, and In the ensuing period of play neither team displayed any aptitude for constructive Play. Scores were level until 6-all, when Sacred Heart tightened its attack and took tiie initiative. Capable centre play by B. McAleer, N. Fahey, ana P. Lawson enabled the Sacied Heart forwards to penetrate the circle, and M. Murray and P. Glubb goaled well to give Sacred Heart a halt-time lead of 11 goals to 7.

Use of its own ball and the sheltered goal-end enabled Sacred Heart to dominate play in the second spell and its competent teamwork gave St. Nicholas little scope. The Sacred Heart forwards, M. Murray and P. Glubb, were in splendid form and Sacred Heart’s attack never slackened until the result of the game was no longer in doubt. Denied possession of the ball for long periods in this spell, St. Nicholas’s play deteriorated and it offered little resistance as Sacred Heart added to its score to gain a convincing win by 27 goals to 13. The referee was Mr R. Overend. DIGBY’S v. WEST A Although fielding youthful substitutes for the experienced A. Hughes and C. Pyne, Digby’s found form immediately and with enterprising play and excellent shooting from the forwards, F. Pyne and P. Brown, had gained a good lead very early In this spell. West gave a* lifeless display and its efforts to restrain Digby’s were half-hearted. Digby’s led at half-time by 16 goals to 6. West achieved better combination in the second spell and play became fast and even as Digby’s attempted to consolidate. Splendid interceptions by Digby’s vigilant defence, H. Arthur and C. Osborne, kept West on the defensive, but P. Telfer and L. Duff shot well in this half to reduce Digby's lead and make the score 19 goals to 11. Increasing pressure from the West centre and defence thirds brought further deterioration in Digby’s play, and West attacked strongly with the score Digby's 22, West A 15. Play became fast and willing as West attempted to bridge the gap, but frequent infringements marred the continuity of the game and West’s attack slackened. In the final stages Digby’s again held complete control and again increased the lead to run n-q an easy winner jy 31 goals to 20. The reieree was Mrs F. Gough. KAKATAI V. TEACHERS’ COLLEGE Good positional play and excellent shooting allowed Kakatai to lead by 4 goals to 1, but a rearrangement of the Teachers’ College defence, with M. McCrea guarding Kakatai’s prolific scorer, L. Price, had immediate effect and scores were evened at 4-all. The Teachers’ College forwards were handling the tall Kakatai defence well at this stage, and their well-judged shots gave college the lead by 7 goals to 6. Kakatai attacked vigorously and the college defence slackened as the combination of the forwards, L. Price and J. Dunlop improved. Kakatai held a hali-time lead by 18 goals to 14. The second spell was most onesided and Kakatai had little difficulty in retaining possession for long periods. The Teachers' College forward, M. Dalziel, in spite of a disparity in height, strove tirelessly to penetrate the circle, but she was not well supported either by her centre or fellow-forward, and the Kakatai defence, M. Neiman and F. Fletcher, intercepted freely. The Kakatai forwards, J. Dunlop and L. Price, again goaled well to give Kakatai victory by 37 goals to The referee was Mrs A. South.