Basketball Clash Today

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31771, 30 August 1968, Page 13

Basketball Clash Today

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki and Otago Country neck and neck at the top of the fourth-grade basketball points table—will clash at the Waiwakaiho courts, New Plymouth, today in the New Zealand secondgrade and fourth-grade basketball championships.

Taranaki remains unbeaten after winning its matches against Hokitika and Manawatu Minor yesterday. There were more loose balls and poorer handling than in any previous match in Taranaki’s game against Manawatu Minor. R. Mehrtens displayed outstanding anticipation. Manawatu

Minor found difficulty in getting the ball into the circle through Taranaki’s good defence.

Against Hokitika, Taranaki went into a 5-0 lead rapidly. C. Corlett was extremely reliable on rebounds and R. Mehrtens was again brilliant with interception. For Hokitika, M. Wicks showed good court work and shooting. Taranaki won, 34-15. In the second grade Northland remains unbeaten. Much interest was shown in its game against North Shore yesterday.

Northland went into an 8-0 lead in less than 10 minutes. Every pass was well directed. North Shore rallied well towards the end, giving the game a very exciting finish. Northland won 25-22. Central King Country took part in an exciting and even game against South Canterbury Minor, which won 25-23. The Australian team, Rockhampton, inflicted the first defeat of the tournament on Nelson when it won, 64-58. Rockhampton was leading, 30-28, at the interval, but in the second half Nelson rallied to take the lead by one point, only to go behind again in the last five minutes.

Canterbury, another of the undefeated teams, was fully stretched to beat Hutt Valley. 48-36, after leading 23-15 at the interval. Hutt Valley was hampered when three players were fouled off during the match.

In the second-division game Tauranga had a good win over New Plymouth to remain unbeaten.

The player of the tournament today was B. Brady, who scored -29 of Rockhampton’s points and with J. Sunner adding 17 points to back up Brady, the Australians were well on the way to victory. A. Harding, the Nelson captain, was the second highest scorer for his team with 15 points, but suffered a broken nose and is unlikely to take any further

part in the tournament. D. Taylor was a consistent scorer for Nelson, with 22 points. Results:— Second Grade Fourth Round.—Thames Valley 27. Nelson 25; South Auckland 25, Hawke’s Bay 16. Fifth Round.—Northland 25. North Shore 21: Waikato Major 32. West Coast 25. Sixth Round.—South Auckland 35, Eastern Bay of Plenty 23: Southland Country 36, Auckland Sub-assoclatton 33. Points are: Northland 12. Waikato Major 10, Nelson S. Southland Country 7, Thames Valley 7. Auckland Sub-assocla-tions, North Shore 6, South Auckland, West Coast 4. Hawke's Bay 2, Eastern Bay of Plenty 0. Fourth Grade Fourth Round. —South Canterbury Minor 25. Central King Country 23: Taranaki 34. Hokitika 15. Fifth Round.—Wairoa 33, Manawatu Minor 13: Hawke’s Bay Minor 29. Buller 10. Sixth Round. Wellington Minor 27, Horowhenua-11. Points are: Taranaki 12. Otago Country 12, Wairoa 10. Wellington 10. Central King Country 5, Hawke's Bay Minor, South Canterbury Minor 4, Horowhenua. Manawatu Minor 3. Hokitika 2, Buller 0.