Indoor Basketball S.I. MEN’S TITLE PLAY BEGUN

Press, Volume C, Issue 29566, 15 July 1961, Page 13

Indoor Basketball S.I. MEN’S TITLE PLAY BEGUN

Canterbury A and Nelson were the only two competition teams which remained unbeaten when the first day of the South Island men's indoor basketball championships ended at King Edw’ard Barracks last evening. As these teams are in different sections they will not meet until this evening and it appears likely that they will contest the final.

Representative teams from the two Otago associations. West Coast and Southland are also taking part in the championships. The present titleholder is Southland but it did not impress as a matchwinner yesterday. Southland's first game was with Canterbury C—the Latter Day Saints senior club side in the Christchurch competitions (entered as a non-championship side to assist the section draw)— and it lost narrowly 55-56. It was beaten by Canterbury A, which was not extended to take the game by a wide margin of 28 points after 40 minutes of dull, scrappy play. West Coast was surprisingly at sixes and sevens in the morning. After the recent district tournament, it found itself struggling to get half as many points as Otago B. It failed. Six hours later it was playing with the 1961 South Island B grade champion Canterbury B (a noncompetition entrv) and in a sparkling return to form won. 68-54, West Coast will meet Nelson this morning.

Lost Both Games Otago A has lost both its games so far (to Canterbury A and C).

The match between Nel-son-known to be a strong side with New Zealand representatives among its mem. bers—and Otago B, which comprised the best players of the powerful Mercantile League in Dunedin, lived up to expectation that it would be the highlight of last evening’s play. There was nothing between the teams but more accurate freethrowing by the Nelson team at half-time when the score was 30-24.

It was a fairly tight game, except for some holos which L. Pearson, the Kaikoura player, found in the Nelson defence. Pearson and a team-mate, D. Milne, and R Gay, of Nelson, brought applause with some accurate long shots from the mid and side court, the ball not even touching the ring.

Nelson tightened its defence in the second spell and set off on a spree of goal - scoring and free throws. Otago B had plaved a brilliant game in 'the morning, easily beating West Coast, 69-34, but in the later stages of its game with Nelson it lost its clash and coordination rapidly.

Nelson gained the upper hand with a tactie called the Wisconsin cross, its players running a reverse half-circle around the Otago B men. who were sheltering their basket. Otego B would either be drawn to one side by the manoeuvre (which reminded one of the cobra's rapid side-to-side movement used to bewilder prey before a strike) and a basket would result from a clear throw; or the weaving would entice a defender to pounce .and result in a foul. From the latter cause, six free throws in four minutes were taken. Charlett Excels The star of the game was D. Charlett, of the Nelson Tennis Club. In the first half he scored four goals but after the interval really came into his element and gave a firstclass display of accuracy. He shot 11 goals and scored two free throws Charlett ha* re. presented Nelson since 1956 ond was selected for the New Zealand tournament team last year. B Cotton also played impressively for Nelson, scoring seven goals (all in the second spell) and making a 100 per cent, average with six free throws attempted. F. Baldwin • Nelson) shot five out of six free throws awarded him. On the other hand the Pearson brothers, playing for Otago B, were a dismal pair when it came to free throwing. R. Pearson missed all four attempts and capped this by being sent from the court with a tally of five fouls. L. Pearson top-seored for his side with 21 pointe—--10 goals—the odd point coming from the only succesaful one of six free throws attempted.

Detailed result* (showing team totals and scores) were:— Went Coast 88, Canterbury B M West Coast: N. Saunders 14. L. Street 12, W. Kennedy 17 N. McMillan «, H. Fox 6. I. McDonald 4, M. Coll 4. A. Kennedy 4, J. Struthers 1. Canterbury B: W WardHolmes 17. Tunncllff IS, D. de Felice 6. P. Simpson 6, R. Symes 5, M. Bach 4. C. Spiers 1. Canterbury C 56 Southland SS Canterbury C: P. Peterson 14. E. Lynn 16, E. Rasmussen 9, V. Gray 7. Southland: B. T«U 16. N. Familton 15, K. Barron 14, S. Glennie 5, B. Nicholson 3. P. Lenihan 2. Canterbury A 67, Otago A 46 Canterbury A: W Smith 22. R. Burnby 17, M. Mackay 8, R. Entwistle 8. K. Ewing 8, P. ward Otago A: G. Lawless 14, G. Nobbs 13, J. Edmond 6, J. Harrison 6. D Stunner 5. D. Sharp 2, A. Ward 2, Nelson 68. Canterbury B 43 Nelson: C. Cotton 16. D. Charlett 17, D. Harford 14, R. Gay 8, B, Cotton 4, F. Baldwin 5, D. Taylor 2, B. Strang 2. Canterbury B: Tunncliffe 16, W. Ward-Holmes 12. D. de Felice 6. M. Bach 5. P. Simpson 3. R Symes 1. Otego B 69. West Coast >4 Otago B: L. Pearson 27, J. Pau) 16. A. Anderson 8. H. Robinson 7 D. Milne 6 J. McQuarrie 3, R. Pearson 2 West Coast: N. Saunders 12. L. Street 6 W. Kennedy 4. M. Bouke 4. I. McDonald 4, A. Kennedy 2. M CoU 2. Canterbury C M, Otago A 42 Canterbury C: E. Rasmussen 20, E. Lynn 26. P. Peterson 6. V. Gray 6. Otago A: D. Sharps. S. Aiken 8, G. Nobbs 8. D. Sumner 6. G. Lawless 6 J. Edmond 5. J. Harrison 2 Nelson 78, Otego B 45 Nelson: D. Charlotte 24, B. Cotton 20. D. Harford 9. R. Gay 8. F. Baldwin 7. C. Cotton 2. Otago B: L. Pearson 21. D. Milne 12, J. Paul 6, R. Pearson 2, J. McQuarrie 2, H. Robertson 2. Canterbury A 57, Southland 29 Canterbury A: C. Hanley 18, R. EntwiMle 10, R. Burnaby 6. K. Ewing 11, W, Smith 1. P. Ward 2. K Baker 2. M. West 2. Southland: S. Glennie 10, R. Price 6. B. Tall 4, N. Familton 3, K. Barrow 2. B. Nicholson 4. Play In each of the two sections wIU be continued this morning with any necessary play-off this afternoon. The finals this evening will end the championships.