BASKETBALL Kakatai Unbeaten In Senior Competition

Press, Volume C, Issue 29525, 29 May 1961, Page 14

BASKETBALL Kakatai Unbeaten In Senior Competition

Although condition* were pleasant, wet autumn leave* and deep puddles from overnight rain affected play when fourth round games in the Canterbury Basketball Association's senior competition were played on Saturday at Hagiey Part South. Chief intereat in the afternoon’s games centred on that between Kakatai and Technical ahd it proved worthy of the closest attention. Kakatai maintained its unbeaten record, although Technical had its measure for much of the first half, and this game proved,, if nothing else, that the other five players in a team are of equal importance to the forwards, a fact which most senior teams this season have been inclined to disregard. Kakatai’s strict adherence to combination and positional play was the only difference between these two wellmatched teams. West Old Giri* gave another sound performance by beating a less impressive St Nicholas side, and Teachers' College A beat Teachers’ College B easily. Sacred Heart had the bye. Results were:— West Old Girls 32. St. Nicholas A 21. Teachers* College A 37, Teachers’ College B 15. Kakatai 28, Technical 22. Competition points are:— Kakatai 8. West A 6, Sacred Heart 4. Teachers’ College A 4, St. Nicholas 2. Technical 0, Teachers’ College B 0. West A ▼. St. Nicholas St. Nicholas adapted its game to meet the demands imposed by the slippery court surface and led by three goals before West scored. The West forward, J. Wright, was again in excellent form and with strong play by the centres. M. Murray, M. Hopkins and K. Williams. West soon had its opponent’s measure and scores were level. Capable attacking play by the West centres cost St Nicholas possession of the throw-off and deprived of this advantage, its score remained at three, while West quickly added a further five goals.

St. Nicholas's forwards. J. Cusdin and A. Buckland, played splendidly late In this half, and well backed up by the defence. E. Woods and M. Crossen, and the centre, N. Baker, St. Nicholas played strongly and zestfully to make the score. West 13, St. Nicholas 11. Poor handling and minor infringements cost St. Nicholas its hardwon advantage at this point, and by half-time, West was asain in charge with the score West 16. St. Nicholas 12..

Capable defence by M. Islip and P Bennett kept the St Nicholas forwards from functioning smoothly, and play broke down frequently in this third. The West forwards. J. Wright and H. Bryant, goaled skilfully to retain West's half-time ad-

vantage, but West's general play at thia stage wag uneenvtaetng and with a little more luek. St. Nicholas might well have cloaed the gap between the scores. The St. Nicholas dafcnee. It Wood, and the centre, N. Baker, gave the forward. J. Cusdin. good support in this spell and their welltimed interceptions should have received more co-operation from their teammates. In the closing stages West was quite untroubled and the final score. West 82, St. Nicholas 21. was well merited. The referee was Miss N. R. Teachers* College A v. Teachers* College B With the result never in doubt, and the competitive spirit apparently quite dead, this game lacked interest. Adequate play by the College A forwards. C. McMaster and I. Jansen, enabled the A team to assert its superiority quickly, and fine shooting by C. McMaster gave the College B defence. K. Reece and J. Hall, little encouragement. The B forwards, C. Clapham and N. Blomquist. although lacking combination, succeeded briefly in penetrating the defences offered by J. MeMillsn and M. to goal well, and the half-time score was not too disheartening to their team. The second spell, however, was very drab. College A defence tightened its play considerably and with, the inner circle denied them, the B forwards were unable to sustain accuracy. C. McMaster was again able to dominate play in the A forward third, and though K. Reece again offered stubborn resistance, the A team's score increased monotonously until the final whistle, with the score. Teachers’ College A 37. Teachers’ College B 15. Referee: Miss P. Gallagher. TECHNICAL v. KAKATAI From the outset. Technical showed to advantage and its play contrasted sharply with the rather tentative attack launched by Kakatai. When the Technical goalkeeper, B. Waters, successiullv intercepted Kakatai's first shot at goal. Technical's skilful, attacking play penetrated Kakatai’s defences completely and the Technical forwards, K French and L. Johns, goaled well. Stronger play by Kakatai's centres, L. Walker and J. King, placed Kakatai on attack, and the scores were levelled at 3all. But from this point. Technical increased pressure on the Kakatai forwards and the Technical defence, C. Brown and B. Waters, dominated play in this third. Effective moves initiated by Technical's capable centre. M. Fisher, gave the Kakatai defence little scope, and K. French goaled skilfully to give Technical a five-goal advantage. Surprisingly at this point, Technical’s attack slackened, and Kakatai was quick to take advantage of this. Challenging purposefully in all thirds and with fine positional play. Kakatai forwards. L. Price and J Dunlop, were given complete support from their team and by half-time the game had reached a most interesting stage with the scores at 12-all. Kakatai defence, E. Kirkwood and M. Neiman, dominated play in the second spell by their determined and resolute efforts, but the finely judged play of the wing defence. J. King, was the telling factor in Kakatai's strategy. The Kakatai forwards, L Price and J. Dunlop, handled the Technical defence with skill, and though C. Brown intercepted frequently, the Technical defence in this half was not without flaws. Kakatai held a five-goal lead for most of this spell and Technical, in spite of many determined bids, was unable to repeat its first-half form. Final score, Kakatai 28. Technical 22. Referee: Mrs M. Knox