Basketball’s Loss

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32265, 7 April 1970, Page 17

Basketball’s Loss

Miss C. McMaster, a New Zealand women’s basketball representative for the last decade and a trialist for the" New Zealand team to play in the world tournament at Jamaica at the end of this year, has retired from all representative basketball. “1 want to take up ski-ing,” she said yesterday, “and I do not feel at all enthusiastic about the training for these trials.” Miss McMaster first played for New Zealand in 1960 while she was stilt at school and played in the first world tournament in England in 1963. She was forced to stop playing basketball in 1968 be-

cause of a serious Achilles tendon injury, but last year she forced her way back into the New Zealand side which drew the test series against Australia.

“I made my come-back last year and did what I wanted to do; now there is no incentive for me to continue. I am the only old hand still playing from the 1960 New Zealand team and the captain of that team is now one of the selectors,” she said. CLUB GAMES

Although she is not available for representative basketball she will continue to play for her club, Hagley. She is also playing indoor basketball and squash. “I have so many friends who are going ski-ing and I would have missed every week-end with basketball practice during the ski-ing season. I have never skied

in New Zealand. I learnt in Scotland and spent several weeks ski-ing in Austria.' I brought my boots home two years ago and have never used them again. It is about time I did.

“I am not prepared to go away with a team for four months this time.” Miss McMaster had an outstanding season last year. She was chosen for the New Zealand trials on her form two years previously and played excellently to be chosen in the 10 for the two tests. She w>as left out of the first test against Australia and New Zealand lost She was included in the second test and New Zealand scored an excellent win, much of which resulted from her accurate

goal shooting and her combination on attack with J. Harnett, another Canterbury player and the New Zealand captain. She capped her season with a magnificent game for Canterbury against Australia, which Canterbury won 5540. GOAL SKILL She excelled in the goal shooting position and was one of the fastest dodgers in the goal circle. Her ability to hold her place near the post until the last minute secured her good positions for aiming and she was a quick, accurate shooter. She will be a loss to New Zealand and Canterbury. Her place in the New Zealand trials has been taken by P. Bennett (Thames Valley).