Men’s Basketball Changed To Saturdays

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 14

Men’s Basketball Changed To Saturdays

Delegates approved the switching of A grade and two lower grades from Tuesday night to Saturday afternoons at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Men’s Basketball Association last evening. This will prevent the use of the top grade as a training ground for other sports and, it is hoped, encourage players to concentrate on basketball instead of splitting their interests.

Delegates agreed that there would be teething troubles at the outset but considered that the eventual benefits would outweigh the disadvantages. The move will seriously affect a number of A grade teams which rely on players who also play Rugby and a minor revolution in standards, with the possibility of some clubs losing their senior status, seeming almost inevitable. However, there is no intention of preventing Rugby players and others from playing basketball. A seniorreserve grade, an under-20 grade and two other grades yet to be decided will still be played on Tuesday evenings,

Wednesday evenings, the usual night for lower grades, will be cancelled. A senior reserve grade will also be played on Saturday afternoons, making a play-off necessary between the two top teams in the two senior reserve grades at the end of the season. The grade of the third competition to be played on Saturdays has not yet been decided and will depend on the type of entries received for it. “Many of us believe that basketball has become a main sport,” said the president (Mr R. S. Thomson). “It is not a game for people to get fit at for another sport." He urged delegates not to look at the suggestion from a personal or club level but to consider the good of basketball. Costs were also involved, the secretary (Mr A. W. Barrett) said. If the competition were played on Tuesday nights it would cost £lBO a year for the hire of Cowles stadium. For Saturday afternoons, without lighting costs it would only cost £BO a year, an immediate saving of £lOO.

There was also the possibility of having three live telecasts each season, which would bring in revenue amounting to £9O. That would almost cover the loss made last season of £lBB, he said. There were obvious disadvantages. Representative committments could affect teams and there would be many problems to overcome, Mr Barrett said. The motion was carried by 34 votes to six. It was then decided to extend the closing date of entries for a week. They were due to close next Wednesday. Mr Thomson reported that 39 school teams from 11 schools were playing basketball competitively. Ten of the schools played it as a main sport. “This has been a major break-through and I am sure that we will reap the benefit," he said. Officers elected were:— Patron, Mr P. J. skellerup: president. Mr R. S. Thomson; vice-presidents. Messrs R. C. Curtis, M. A. McDougall. M. A. Henshall, C. Blunt, S. A. Bell. B. T. Cocks; secretary. Mr A. I W. Barrett; treasurer, Mr G. I Speirs; auditor, Mr N. D. O'Coiv I nor; executive committee, I Messrs C. W. Anderson, M. A. I Henshall. N. Saunders. R. Me I Cormick, J. Grocott. M. Haben ■ field, R. Dew.