NATIONAL BASKETBALL Canterbury Sharing Lead On Last Day

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31766, 24 August 1968, Page 15

NATIONAL BASKETBALL Canterbury Sharing Lead On Last Day

(New Zealand Press Association)

GISBORNE.

Wellington and Canterbury share the first grade lead in the national women’s basketball tournament at the end of the fourth day. But Wellington went very close to losing its position.

A last-second penalty attempt by Auckland failed to find the net and Wellington won the game with a onegoal margin.

The overnight leader, Hutt Valley, was no match for Wellington, but Wellington found Auckland a much harder proposition. Auckland led at the break and looked likely to cause a major upset, but it missed some easy goals. Final Matches Today Canterbury had a hard fight against Rotorua, but looked much more competent defeating Southland. Wellington has matches against Rotorua and Southland and Canterbury will meet Auckland and Hutt Valley. Canterbury Country has almost clinched victory in the third grade and this is a fitting reward for consistent play which has so far made it the only team in either grade to win every game played. Canterbury and Rotorua have been rivals of long standing in basketball and despite Rotorua’s earlier defeats, this was a key game of the tournament. The New Zealand representatives, T Vercoe and A. Solomon, were in the Rotorua team, and J. Harnett captained Canterbury. Half-Time Lead Canterbury had the opportunity to go into an early lead but kept on the defensive. Despite the polished play of M. Simeonidis, Rotoled 15-9 at half-time. Afterwards, Canterbury took control and the determination and drive that had brought the side victory in earlier games was once more apparent. Harnett gaoled brilliantly from all positions and the solid backing of the de-

fence was all the incentive

that Canterbury needed. Rotorua tried valiantly to match the attack but in the

last few minutes Canterbury was the master and won 28-26. Later Canterbury was hard pressed by Southland, which gave a high-class performance. M. Gardiner, a New Zealand representative, and E. Murdock netted confidently and Canterbury lacked some of the sparkle of its earlier game. C. Cottrell covered the court zealously and never faltered in the face of determined attacks by R. Broughton, wMIe it was the cool determination of Harnett and S. Norman that kept Canterbury in the lead, 18-15, at half-time. Southland fought back vigorously and Canterbury made costly mistakes. Fortunes see-sawed and for a time Southland went ahead.

Infringements by both defences followed a monotonous- pattern but Jones and

Simeonidis worked stoically

until Southland’s accuracy faltered, enabling Canterbury to win, 34-28.

Results: First Grade— Canterbury 28. Rotorua 28; Otago 24, Wanganui 11; South Canterbury 29. Matamata 20; Wellington 33. Hutt Valley 27; Canterbury 34. Southland 28; Otago 21, Manawatu 19; Wellington 26, Auckland 25: Rotorua 35, Southland 32; South Canterbury 31. Wanganui 16; Auckland 27, Hutt Valley 23; Matamata 25. Manawatu 15. Points: Wellington, Canterbury 15 Hutt Valley 12, Otago. South Canterbury 10, Auckland. Rotorua 8, Southland 7, Manawatu 3, Matamata 2, Wanganui 0. Third Grade.—Wairarapa 40, North Otago 18; Canterbury Country 41 Te Kawau 25; Marlborough 28, Poverty Bay 26; Western Bay of Plenty 25, AshBurton 24; South Waikato 33. Waikato Sub-assoclatlons 15; Poverty Bay 29. Te Kawau 17: Canterbury Country 27, Western Bay of Plenty 21; Ashburton 31. North Otago 16: South Waikato 33, Wairarapa 28; Waikato Subassociations 25, Marlborough 18. Points; South Canterbury 16, South Waikato 14. Waikato Sub-

associations 11 Marlborough 10. Western Bay of Plenty 9. Poverty Bay 8. Wairarapa 6, Ashburton 4, Te Kawau 2, North Otago 0.