University A Retains Men’s Basketball Lead

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31120, 25 July 1966, Page 17

University A Retains Men’s Basketball Lead

University A moved another step towards championship honours when it narrowly beat University B, 35-29, in the A grade men’s basketball competition on Saturday.

It’s nearest challenger, Y.M.C.A., also had a win, beating High School Old Boys, 48-32, but with only three games to go before the end of the competition it seems very unlikely that University A can fail to take the title its B team won last season. The games marked the first round of the split competition. Points for the top four, the only teams now eligible for the inter-club championship, are: University A 24, Y.M.C.A 19, High School Old Boys 14, University B 13. In the other two A grade games, Y-Boys thoroughly tested a full-strength Burnham side, only going down in the final minute, 27-32, after the score had been level on

i five occasions. A depleted Bex> (team was decisively beaten; ; by Christchurch Boys’ High i (School. 34-24. Early Lead UNIVERSITY A 35: S. Siong 10. J. Stead 10, P. Stigley 8. D. Nunns 5, G. Williams 4. UNIVERSITY B 20: W. E. Smith 15, D. de Lisle S, P. Sharp 4. W. Centre 2. The manner tn which Univercity A dominated the opening minute* of the game Indicated that an overwhelming win was in sight. At one stage it had a tremendous 20-4 lead over its B team and interest in the game waned. However, the B team captain. Smith, rallied his men and in the final smln of the half they scored 10 points to University A's two, to bring the half-time 'score to 22-14. The B team con- ' tinned to fight back in the sec

.bnd spell and near the finish It was anyone’s game. | Siong and Stead were the most ! prominent A team players. Smith was outstanding for the B iteam and was clearly the best ( player on the court De Lisle iwas also Impressive.

Entwistle Dominant

Y.M.C.A. 48: R. Entwistle 20. C. Forney 8. M. Clemente 8, D. Rattray 6, P. Rose 2, J. Burns 2, A. Riley 2. OLD BOYS 32: G. Orchard 11, A. Hounsell 9, R. Milligan 4, S. Hunt 4, K. Milligan 3. P. Bell 1.

Had It not been for the splendid form of its centre, Entwistle, Y.M.C.A. might have had considerable difficulty beating the young Old Boys team. In the first spell there was little between the teams. Old Bovs was perhaps slightly unlucky to be trailing 20-24, at half-time. However, Y.M.C.A.'s effort gained momentum tn the second spell and thanks to Entjwtstle’s fine positional plav and shooting form was soon in a dominating position. At the end Y.M.C.A. was well in control. The other Y.M.C.A. players provided excellent support for Entwistle. Clements, in his first A grade season, was Impressive and the American, Forney, was always a danger. Orchard played a sound offensive game for Old Boys while the defence of R. Milligan and S. Hunt was of a high order. Close Game BURNHAM 32: C. P. Dyson 8, G. keelty 8, A. G. Ward 7, G. Costello 6, D. Watson 3. Y-BOYS 27: R. Dew 10. B. Kelly 10, K. Ewings 5, N. Vincent 1. T. Reece 1. Playing its most controlled basketball of the season, Y-Boys went within an ace of defeating Burnham. It led for much Of the first spell and at half-time was only three points behind. A further rally brought it to the front again in the second spell and scores were level on numerous occasions before Burnham managed to scramble home the victor.

Only a slight loss of match temperament in the closing minute Cest Y-Boys the game. B. Kelly was in outstanding form and although fouled off the court scored 10 valuable points. T. Reece. N. Vincent and K. Ewings all defended well. The Canterbury and Burnham representative, Dyson, was a marked man from the outset. The fact that he only scored eight points was a clear Indication of the strength of Y-Boys’ defence. He was. nevertheless, still the outstanding Burnham player. Keelty. a new player, also showed good form. Rex Beaten CHRISTCHURCH B.H.S. 34: Guthrie 8, Luxton 7, Kawaguchi 5, Heppenstall 4. Simpson 3, Maclilauchlan 3, Knox 3. SI uis 1. REX 24: M. McKay 6, T. Buckingham 6, P. Foster 4, D. Verey 4. P. Ward 2, M. Allison 2. Rex was surprisingly no match for the Christchurch Boys’ High School team, which normally plays in the senior reserve grade. Even taking into consideration the absence of N. Saunders and J. McEvoy, the margin of 18-6 at half-time was most unexpected. In the first spell Rex’s offensive and defensive patterns were extremely uncoordinated. It settled down better in the second spell but by then it was too late. The schoolboys played a very well balanced game, every member of the side contributed something. Guthrie and Kawaguchi were perhaps the most Outstanding.