Indoor Basketball Team Impressive

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 9

Indoor Basketball Team Impressive

ALTHOUGH the Canferbury men's indoor basketball representative side performed most credittabiy against the touring MelJxMtme YMCA. last week, some of the more critical members of the capacity crowd left the stadium dissatisfied with the result— Melbourne 58, Canterbury 44.

There is little doubt that Canterbury could have won the match, as it showed great potential and at one stage scared 16 poirsts in a row without a basket being made against it. This performance was not far snort of incredible. Against a team of lesser cal bre than the Melbourne YMCA, it would have been enough to give Canterbury the lead and probably a comfortable win. Ait one stage of the second half it came within six points of the Australians Lack of competition before the match and the changing of the team's composition at a critical moment perhaps contributed more than anything else to Canterbury’s defeat. The local players took a long time to settle down properly and in the opening stages missed comparatively easy baske’s countless times. In direct contrast, the Australians, with the benefit of many representative games behind them, settled down at once. In general, the performance of the Canterbury team was much better than expected, and a fairly irgh standard was reached. This was undoubtedly due to the efforts of the selector-coach (Mr A. Forrester). On the form shown, Canterbury's prospects at a representative Level must be considered better than usual.

Much of Canterbury’s fine showing can be attributed to the outstanding performance of the centre. P. Simpson. .He scored 12 points, six more than any other player in his team, and was only slightly overshadowed by the 'Australian vice-cap-tain, D. Roberts, who was the top scorer of the match with 14 points. Simpson’s shooting was reasonably

accurate, his positional play was good, and he showed Ability to make the most of an opening However, he could not have scored nearly so freely without the good backingup of his team-mates They all played well, with perhaps R. Burnby. P Doogue and L Anderson being tnnet prominent. .The captain. W. Smith, was below his best form. R Zacheriassen was steady, but has played better in the past. P. Ward and W Ward-Holmes were competent but slightly below the standard sot by th* remainder of the term Lessons were offered by the Australians, and if they are learned. Canterbury should be able to show considerable improvement in the future. The fact th:u the Melbourne Y MCA side completed its New Zealand tour with an unbeaten record is some consolation for Canterbury's defeat Canterbury, although not considered among the leading basketball provinces in the country, gave the visitors one of their toughest games —perhaps a painter to the province's chances at the national champion ship s, which are being held in Christchurch this year.