Basketball KAKATAI BEATEN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29235, 20 June 1960, Page 8

Basketball KAKATAI BEATEN

Seventh-Round Games

The defeat of Kakatai and Technical in the seventh round of games in the Canterbury Basketball Association’s senior competition on Saturday indicates that this year’s competition will be closely contested. Played in pleasant conditions, these were the final games of the first round. Teachers’ College caused the surprise of the season in the first game of the afternoon by beating Kakatai Neither Teachers’ College nor Kakatai played well, but Kaka tai’s defeat, after its fine play against Sacred Heart last week, could be considered rather unlucky.

Sacred Heart beat Technical mainly through its definite superiority in the forward third. Technical gave its weakest display of the season, and this game also produced much indifferent play.

West Old Girls A were never troubled by St. Nicholas and won convincingly. West B had the bye. Results were:— , Teachers’ College 23, Kakatai 22. Sacred Heart 32, Technical 20. West A 30, St. Nicholas 21.

Competition points to date are:— Sacred Heart, Technical and Kakatai 8 points. Teachers’ College 7, West A 6. West B 3, St. Nicholas

Kakatai v. Teachers’ CoHege

Convincing play by Kakatai In the early Mages brought immediate results and L. Price and J. Dunlop combined well to give Kakatai a lead by 6 goals to 1. Kakatai continued to press home its early advantage, but minor infringements resulted in Teachers’ College receiving more play, and the Teachers’ College forward V. Hosking goaled well. With Kakatai leading 10-5, College's • combination functioned smoothly, and from gains by the defence, J. Deaker and A. Stewart, the Kakatai forwards were forced very much on the defensive. The Kakaitai defence, too, which had enjoyed much latitude in preceding games, was repeatedly penalised for personal contact, ahd these infringements in the circle enabled the College forwards to come within four goals of Kakatai by half-time when the score was Kakatai 13, Teachers’ College 9. Teachers’ College enjoyed a territorial advantage for much of this spell, and though the forwards' lack of height resulted in considerable misuse of the throw-off, their shooting ability compensated for this handicap. Infringements, mainly minor, again altered the trend of play and the Kakatai defence was forced to adopt a cautious and rather negative approach to play once it reached the circle. Scores were level at 15-all and again at 19-all, but Kakatai .still seemed to be playing well within itself. A further infringement enabled College to goal well to take the lead. The final few minutes of play were very scrappy. Kakatai had frequent chances to attack but careless passing and failure to retain combination under pressure kept College In the lead and the final whistle came with the score Teachers’ College 23, Kakatai 22. Referee: Miss C. Brown. Sacred Heart v. Technical Both teams were quick to settle down and for the first few minutes play was very even. Scores were level at 3-all, but excellent forward play by Sacred Heart at this stage put it in the lead. The Sacred Heart forwards, J. Martin and M Murray, maintained accuracy and went into a three-goal lead. Technical tightened play, and with astute oassmg found gaps in Sacred Heart’s defence to reduce Sacred Heart's Foa J- Technical’s passing, at this point, lost accuracy and Sacred Heart's vigilant defence. £.£ a r k 1 an , d A Co ’eman. kent the Technical forwards most subdued. U^ e , of , this advantage through persistent failure to centre the ball cost Sacred Heart posseshunAii^ d u its ,? re v. quent ,a P ses in handling should have been better exploited by Technical. t I n .*e'i’s eri t Play by the forwards. J. Martin and M. Murray, again enabled Sacred Heart to maintain its early advantage, and though C x lca attack seldom slackened, ns Forwards’ loss of accuracy minimised this advantage, and ’ Sacred Heart was again in control to lead 13 goals to 10. Fortune favoured Sacred Heart in the ensuing period of play, and its well-varied attack kept Technical very much on the defensive until half-time, when the score was Sacred Heart 15, Technical 10.

With purposeful teamwork and good combination Sacred Heart made the early stages of this spell telling. Constructive play by the centres. N. Fahey, B. McAleer. and P. Lawson, kept the Sacred Heart forwards on attack, and the efforts of J. Martin and M. Murray cOuld not have been bettered. Technical's defence failed to subdue this wellexecuted attack, and Sacred Heart was able to lead by 10 goals before Technical's resistance stiffened. The final stages were most disappointing. Handling lapses and poor positional play marred most moves, and Technical’s youthful forwards, K. French and Johns, were not sufficiently experienced to withstand the strong defensive plav °I E; Back and A. Coleman. In addition. Technical's centre failed to give the support needed, and the game ended tamely with Sacred He art winning easily by 32 goals

Sacred Heart’s victory, after two defeats, was achieved in the main through its eager approach and excellent cover defence. Loose balls, and there were plenty, were always seized by Sacred Heart’s roving players, and the advantage thus gained in possession did much to account for Technical’s tentative attack.

Referee: Mr J. Robertson.

WEST OLD GIRLS v. ST. NICHOLAS

ford, and the New Zealand representative, C. McMaster, moving to the wing attack. West’s forward strength early proved too much for St. Nicholas, and West gained a nine-goal lead.

Enterprising play by the West centres, K. Williams, S, Tozer, and B. Gunn, kept St. Nicholas at a disadvantage, and frequent passing lapses and generally erratic play contributed generously to the ease with which West monopolised play in this spell to make the half-time score West A 16, St. Nicholas 7. Neither team was seen to advantage in this second spell. St. Nicholas was quite unable to reproduce its form of the preceding Saturday, and the lack of combination between the centres and forwards resulted in West leading by 30 goals to 16. In the final stages, with West assured of victory, St Nicholas improved its score, and the final result—West A 30, St. Nicholas 21—was rather flattering. Referee: Mr R. Overend.