BASKETBALL Canterbury Shares N.Z. Title With Rotorua

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29911, 27 August 1962, Page 6

BASKETBALL Canterbury Shares N.Z. Title With Rotorua

“The Press” Special Servic«

AUCKLAND. August 2S. Canterbury and Rotorua tied for first place in the first grade championship at the New Zealand women s basketball .tournament at Auckland on Saturday. They scored 18 points for eight wins and a loss each. Matamata was second with 11 points, followed by Wanganui and Wellington (10). and Auckland (8). Manawatu won the second grade with 18 points from Northland (17) and Waikato (15). South Canterbury was fourth with 14. 1 Auckland Minor and Canterbury Sub-associations tied with 18 points for the third-grade championship, with Putaruru next with 16 points. Unbeaten Team Central King Country was unbeaten with 20 points to win the fourth grade. In the feature matches on Saturday, Rotorua beat Auckland. 27-22, and Canterbury beat Otago. 27-21. As one of the key games of the afternoon the encounter between Canterbury and Otago provided plenty of excitement. Otago, joint holder with Canterbury last year, had not met with great success at this tournament, and when play opened It was obviously on the defensive. K. Reece. Canterbury’s goal-keeper, intercepted from Otago's throw-off, but Canterbury failed to use the advantage, and with the opposition forwards faltering Otago went Fortunes fluctuated for a time to a 5-2 lead. but C. McMaster and J. Dunlop. with shrewd positioning evaded the strong defence of E. Simpson and A. Hamilton to put Canterbury ahead 10-5. This was the opportunity for Canterbury to take complete charge, but it slumped badly and fine positional play by Otago forced it into errors. At Half-time the score was 12-all

After the. interval. Otago scored goal for goal, while Canterbury s centre was not functioning smoothly. Otago brought confusion to Canterbury's ranks with vigilant defensive play. It was only when the Otago forwards missed crucial goals that McMaster and Dunlop again saved the day for Canterbury with their customary accuracy. Canterbury drew away to win 27-21. Results:— First Grade.—Hawke's Bay 37. Southland Country 25; Wanganui 28. Wellington 28: Matamata 31, Southland 27; Canterbury 27. Otago 21; Rotorua 27, Auckland 22; South Canterbury 33, Eastern Bay of Plenty 31; Tauranga 32, South Canterbury 24. Second Grade.—Taranaki 23. Wairarapa 21; Tauranga 30. Hutt Valley 29: Northland 32. Ashburton 31; Manawatu 40. Waikato 35; South Canterbury 33. Eastern Bay of Plenty 31: Northland 32. Nelson 22; Ashburton 54, Te Kawau 21. Third Grade. Auckland Minor 39. West Coast 31: Putaruru 30. Waikato Sub-associa-tion 33; South Auckland 17, Poverty Bay 14: Thames Valley 30. North Otago 23: Canterbury Sub-associations 33, Temuka 29: Marlborough 37, Temuka 27. Fourth Grade.—Central King Country 27. Otago Minor 18: Buller 38. Wellington Minor 22; Horowhenua 31, Kaikoura 15; Hutt Valley Minor 39. Wairoa 24: Hawke’s Bay Minor 33. Manawatu Minor 14; Hokitika 41, Buller 22; Kaikoura 39, Wairoa 38.