Strong Canterbury Team For Basketball Titles

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28980, 22 August 1959, Page 5

Strong Canterbury Team For Basketball Titles

After its success in the South Island tournament played at Christchurch recently, Canterbury should be among the strongest contenders for the national basketball title at the championship tournament which opens at Invercargill on Tuesday. Canterbury, and the Canterbury sub-associa-tions’ team which will be defending the Kiwi Cup, will leave for Invercargill by bus tomorrow. Hard training since the South Island tournament has developed the Canterbury side into a very formidable combination. It has three very accurate goal shooters in Judy Dunlop, Maureen Murray and the 16-year-old, Colleen McMasters, and the centres, Pam Edmonds, Marina Fisher and Ann Blair, led by the captain, Jean Fuller, have been combining particularly well. Height is an advantage in defence and Canterbury has this in Eileen Back, Maureen Dwan and Cath Brown. This tournament will have added interest in that it will be the first national title meeting to be held under international rules. From this tournament also, and from that at Nelson, 21 trialists will be chosen before the New Zealand

team to visit Australia next year is selected.

Canterbury’s first game on Tuesday morning will be against Rotorua, which is reported to have a strong team. In the afternoon Canterbury will meet Hutt Valley. One of Canterbury’s oldest rivals, Auckland, is always difficult to beat and its strong side this year will again be led by June Waititi. Canterbury will have its hardest matches on the Friday when it will meet Hawke’s Bay in the morning. Hawke’s Bay won the tournament with Wanganui, Wellington and Manawatu and reports from Hastings indicate that this year the team is a very strong one. Canterbury’s afternoon game against Wanganui should also be a hard encounter for Wanganui is reported to have improved considerably. Southland, the present titleholder. will be played by Canterbury on the Saturday morning. Canterbury beat Southland in the South Islartd tournament, but at that meeting Southland showed evidence of great speed and if the team is fit enough to maintain this speed, it should be very hard to beat. - , The draw for the Canterbury team is as follows: Tuesday morning: v. Rotorua; afternoon, v. Hutt Valley. Wednesday morning: v. Matamata; afternoon, v. Auckland. Thursday morning: v. Southland Country; afternoon, v. Otago. Friday morning: v. Hawke’s Bay; afternoon, v. Wanganui. Saturday morning: v. Southland. Saturday afternoon: South Island v. North Island.

Sub-Associations

The Canterbury sub-associa-tions’ team, joint winner last year of the third grade, has developed into a well-balanced side. It has three accurate goal throwers in Judy Hudson (North Canterbury), Rita Pickering (Lincoln), and Jeanette Cusdin (Banks Peninsula). The centres, who are all playing well together are Ngaire Smith (North Canterbury), Onna Birch (Lincoln), Pat Partridge (Banks Peninsula) and the captain, Lois Bowring (North Can*' terbury). The defence comprises June Pester (North Canterbury). Margaret Francis (Hurunui), and Maureen Harding (Hurunui). The sub-associations’ team draw is:—

Tuesday morning: v. Wairarapa; afternoon, v. Thames Valley. Wednesday morning: v. Taranaki minor; afternoon, v. Putaruru C Thursday morning: v. Poverty Bay; afternoon, v. Marlborough. Friday morning: v. Hokitika; afternoon, v. West Coast. Saturday morning: v. Ashburton.