Coach critical of play

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32568, 30 March 1971, Page 18

Coach critical of play

“They showed just how much they could forget in six months,” the Canterbury men’s basketbail selector-coach (Mr G. D. Dempsey) said yesterday when commenting on the performance of the provincial representatives in their first match of the season against Nelson on Saturday. Canterbury lost, 48-55, in the match staged as part of the activities to mark the official opening of the new stadium in Nelson.

“The score was a reflection of the standard played by both sides/’ Mr Dempsey said. “I expected the match to be disappointing. but not as bad as it was.” The players would all have to get fitter, and improve their fundamentals before the start of the championship programme, he said. “They were a yard too slow. The game was good value in the sense that it proved to the players that they were a yard too slow.”

Canterbury’s top scorer was J. Fearweather with .12. He and the guard, T. Guthrie, both made errors but were the best value in the team. The two tall centres. R. Millard and H. Dimmock, suffered from bad handling, and the New Zealand representative, P. Stigley, was fouled off after only 9min of play. The outstanding players on the court were the two Nelson players. D. Taylor and B. Harding. They scored 14 and 15 points, respectively, with some accurate long shooting. The game was, notable for the return to the team of the former New Zealand player. C. Cotton.