Basketbailers playing for place in Olympics

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32679, 7 August 1971, Page 48

Basketbailers playing for place in Olympics

(By

R. O. DEW)

The New Zealand men’s basketball representatives should know by this evening whether their bid for a place in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich has been realistic or—as is widely felt in some quarters of the sport—premature.

Automatic acceptance for the Munich Games is the prize for the winner of the three-match test series, and the first of these vital fixtures will be played in Auckland this afternoon and televised live throughout the country.

who was, until his retirement last year, one of Australia’s greatest players. But, in spite of claims to the contrary, they are going into this game with some complacency. They expect to win in effortless fashion.. The New Zealand team, which has been training under Mr J. W. Hinton, of Auckland, since early in June, should at least be able to make the visitors work and ensure that they do not take the remaining two tests, in Rotorua next Wednesday and Christchurch next Saturday, lightly. Comparing the vital statistics, few could blame Australia for being confident. Basketball is a big man’s game at top levels and Australia certainly has a big height advantage. It has one 6ft lOin giant, R. Longley, another of 6ft 9in, P. Lynch, and six others of 6ft sin or taller. New Zealand’s biggest player is H. L. Dimock (Canterbury), at 6ft 9in, and the average height of the national team is only slightly more than 6ft- 2in. Under the rebound boards, inches should prove invaluable. CHANCES REMOTE The home team needs a reasonable supply of ball from rebound situation to launch its attacks. Its only chance of getting this will depend on the efficiency of its blocking. If the New Zealand players can block out the Australians, their height disadvantage will not be quite so important. A lot will depend on the form of the Dunedin guard, J. E. MacDonald, probably

the most prolific scorer New Zealand has produced so far, and the experience of the Nelson player, D. W. Taylor, who has worn the silver i fern without a break since 1965. However, New Zealand’s chances of outright victory ; in the series are remote. And it would be too much to expect even a man with the i strength of purpose of Mr i Hinton to lift a team from obscurity to Olympic heights ; in eight weeks. If New Zealand succeeds iin winning a new respect from Australia for the quality of its challenge it will have made the consider- , able expense and the sacrii flees well worth while. The - team at least goes into the ; arena today with the knowi ledge that it is the best pre- , pared national men’s basket- , ball side.

What would be New Zealand basketball’s finest hour is far more likely to bring a substantial defeat for the home players who have so unstintingly dedicated themselves to knocking the confident Australians off the top of the Oceania conference perch. LACK OF HEIGHT Lacking the extreme height of the visitors, New Zealand’s main chance lies in shock tactics. It hopes to throw the Australians into disorganised retreat with the vigour of its assault on their defences, using speed and fitness to combat the lack of inches.

In today’s opening game, the Australians are unlikely to be fully prepared for the considerable improvement in standard of this New Zealand team in comparison to others. Because of this, it will be the easiest of the three for New Zealand to win. The Australians have trained solidly in recent weeks under the guidance of their coach, Mr L. Gaze,