Wellington Leading Basketball Title

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32078, 28 August 1969, Page 19

Wellington Leading Basketball Title

"Th* Pre,s’* Special Service

WANGANUI.

Wellington has emerged a clear leader after four matches in the New Zealand women’s basketball first-grade championship at Laird Park.

After sharing the lead with Otago and South Canterbury on the first day, Wellington was the only team of the three to win both its matches yesterday.

South Canterbury drew with Otago, 26-26, and they share second place with three wins and a draw. Canterbury, winch lost 28-29 to Rotorua on the

first day, yesterday beat Matamata and Manawatu, and shares third place with Rotorua. Both teams have had one loss. Slow To Settle Canterbury beat Matamata, 35-21, in the morning but found it a difficult game. The Matamata shooters, although forced to the outside of the circle to shoot, were extremely accurate in the early part of the match, when Canterbury was too slow passing down the court

Miss S. Norman, playing her first game in the tournament, took a long time to settle down to her shooting. However, the Canterbury defence, Mrs M. Simeonidis and Miss S. Rogers, played well, gaining rebounds and eventually forcing the Matamata shooters to lose their accuracy.

Against Manawatu in the afternoon, Canterbury won comfortably. 40-15, Miss C. Cottrell played at centre and Miss S. Langrope at wing defence, changes which improved the passing. Miss Norman, at goal shoot, was more accurate as the ball came down the court more quickly. Canterbury eased off at the end of the game and Manawatu scored five of its points in the last five mintes.

Helped By Penalty South Canterbury had a close game with Hutt Valley, both teams scoring goal for jgoal until it was 30-30 late in the final quarter. The break for South Canterbury came when Hutt Valley, a goal behind, was penalised and South Canterbury scored twice to lead by threJ. Both teams scored once more and South Canterbury won 35-31. The shooting of the South Canterbury attacking players was remarkably accurate and they were successful from all points in the circle. Against Otago, South Canterbury was lucky to draw, 2626. The match was even throughout but in the last few minutes the Otago and New Zealand representative. Miss B. Walker, was injured and had to leave the court. South Canterbury was able to exploit the replacement to gain a draw. Canterbury Country had its first win in four games in the second grade. It beat Wes! Coast in the morning but was unlucky to lose a close game with Thames Valley in the afternoon. Results:— First Grade South Canterbury 35. Hutt Valley 31; Canterbury 34, Matamata 20; Wellington 35, Manawatu 21; Southland 31,

Otago 26; Rotorua 21, Northland IS; Hutt Valley 32, Auckland 24; Canterbury 40, Manawatu 16; Rotorua 30, Matamata 15; Otago 26, South Canterbury 26; Wellington 33 Southland 31; Auckland 33, Northland 18. Second Grade North Shore 26, Waikato Major 12: South Auckland 21, Wanganui 18: Auckland Subassociations 35. Thames Valley 27; Canterbury Country 30. West Coast 23; Southland Country 30, Eastern Bay ot Plenty 21; Auckland Subassociations 43, Nelson 26; Thames Valley 28, Canterbury Country 24; South Auckland 10, West Coast 11; North Shore 26, Southland Country. 18; Nelson 21. Waikato Major 41; Wanganui 28. Eastern Bay of Plenty 16. Third Grade Waikato Sub-associations 31, Ashburton 26; Watrarapa 23, Marlborough 14: Western Bay of Plenty 28, Hutt Valley Minor IS: Hawke's Bay 32. Taranaki 22; South Waikato 37, Te Kawau 21; Hutt Valley Minor 22. Marlborough 22; Poverty Bay 20, Temuka and Districts 18; Waikato Sub-associations 35, Wairarapa 10: Ashburton 26. Te Kawau 17; Poverty Bay 20. Hutt Valley Minor 15; Taranaki 22, Temuka and Districts 15; Western Bay of Plenty IS, Marlborough 16; Hawke's Bay 31, Te Kawau 20; Ashburton 23, South Waikato 23. Fourth Grade Wellington Minor 30, Hawke's Bay Minor 18; South Canterbury Minor 30 Wairoa 23; North Otago 30. Manawatu Minor 24; Otago Country 41, Horowhcnua 24; Central Ring Country 30, Buller 16; North Otago 22. Horowhenua 21: Wellington Minor 30. Wairoa 23; Otago Country 38. Hawke's Bay Minor 23; Central King Country 25, South Canterbury Minor 16: Buller 17. Manawatu Minor 13.