Men’s Basketball Canterbury Team Beaten Twice At Petone

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30794, 5 July 1965, Page 18

Men’s Basketball Canterbury Team Beaten Twice At Petone

(From Our Own Reporter! WELLINGTON. July 4.

The defeat of Canterbury by the relatively weak Palmerston North and Hutt Valley combinations in a triangular men’s basketball tournament at Petone on Saturday night was not entirely unexpected and Is in no way an indication of the province’s chances In the forthcoming South Island championships. Canterbury was fielding its weakest possible combination from the training squad and the entry in the tournament was made to give these players the experience they are usually denied in important matches. In spite of the fact that it was beaten in both its games, they were never completely onesided. Against Palmerston North. Canterbury held a first half lead of 26-24 before finally going down 53-61. Hero of the Canterbury offensive in this game was the American, J. Smith, who scored 19 points with some fine play under the basket. The colt, A.

Hounsell. also showed good form, returning an individual tally of 12. Other Canterbury scorers were: R. Spark 8. M. Harley 7. P. Ross 7. I. Day 1. J. Francis and J. Stead failed to score.

Against Hutt Valley, the margin of superiority was more marked. Hutt Valley led 25-15 at half-time before going on to win comfortably. 50-38. Honours in the Canterbury line-up were fairly evenly shared among the top five. Spark was the top scorer with 11. and other points came from Harley (8), Day <7). Smith (6) and Hounsell (6).

One-Point Defeat

(N.Z. Press Association! AUCKLAND. July 4

In the last seconds of the game South Australia defeated New Zealand, 45-44. in a tense men’s basketball match on Saturday. Although South Australia trailed for most of the game, it was never too far behind to lose control.

In the last few minutes when New Zealand substituted three plavers. including D. Norris, who had been scoring freely. South Australia quickly seized the opportunity to close the gap. R. Whitford (20) and D. Atkinson (13) were the principal scorers for the visitors. For New Zealand. Norris 114), B. Bowden (7), and C. Cotton 16) led the scorers.