Day Of Upsets In N.Z. Basketball

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31764, 22 August 1968, Page 17

Day Of Upsets In N.Z. Basketball

(New Zealand Press Association)

GISBORNE.

It was a day of upsets in the national basketball championships at Gisborne yesterday and from it all, Hutt Valley leads in the first grade, and Canterbury Country in the third. They are the only unbeaten teams.

The previously unbeaten Auckland team lost to Otago in the morning, and then South Canterbury nibbed salt in Auckland’s wounds by beating the co-holders of the title by a goal in the afternoon. The finest game of the tournament so far was between Canterbury and Wellington. They drew, 29-all. Canterbury was the favourite on Tuesday’s performance when Wellington snatched victory from South Canterbury in the last few minutes of play. However, Wellington’s deficiences were not apparent in its play against Canterbury, which was without M. Simeonidis, who was injured in play against Wanganui. The young Canterbury centre, C. Cottrell, played soundly against the experienced M. Smith but the careful teamwork of S. Langrope, J. Harnett and S. Norman game Canterbury a one goal lead at half-time. After the break Canterbury tried hard to counter the close cover defence of Wellington in a battle of tactics and timing at both ends of the court. C. Holland, fleet of foot and quick of eye, picked off many interceptions for Canterbury to give it a three goal lead and the throw-off advantage 4min before time, but Wellington’s height advantage helped it to score twice in succession.

As the gap closed, and in the race against time, Wellington kept calm and equalised. Canterbury’s game against Manawatu was an anti-climax, and fine shooting from S. Norman, who has been right on form for this tournament, gave Canterbury an early 9-2 lead.

Canterbury’s sound pattern of play could not be broken and whatever Manawatu gained in defence was lost in the forwards. The final score was 33-19 to Canterbury.

First Grade Canterbury 29, Wellington 29: Hutt Valley 36, Manawatu 18; Otago 24, Auckland 23; South* land 34, Wanganui 25; Rotorua 32, Matamata 27; South Canterbury 29, Auckland 28; Canterbury 33, Manawatu 19; Otago 26, Rotorua 24; Wellington 35, Wanganui 20; Hutt Valley 43, Matamata 14; Southland 35, South Canterbury 35.

Third Grade Te Kawau 34, North Otago 26; Western Bay of Plenty 25, South Waikato 20; Marlborough 28, Ashburton 21; Canterbury Country 27, Poverty Bay 24: Waikato Sub-associations 26, Wairarapa 22; South Waikato 42, Ashbur-

ton 18; Marlborough 32, Te Kawau 29; Waikato Sub-associa-tions 32, North Otago 19; Canterbury Country 32 Wairarapa 25; Poverty Bay 24, Western Bay of Plenty 21.

Points at the end of the second day: First grade: Hutt Valley 8, Canterbury, Wellington 7, Otago 6, Southland 5. Auckland 4, Rotorua, South Canterbury 3, Manawatu 1, Wanganui, Matamata 0.

Third grade: Canterbury Country 8, Waikato Sub-associa-tions 7, South Waikato, Marlborough 6, Western Bay of Plenty 5, Poverty Bay 4, Wairarapa, Te Kawau 2, North Otago, Ashburton 0.