Mairehau girls win basketball

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33314, 27 August 1973, Page 14

Mairehau girls win basketball

Mairehau High School completed the second half of a fine double when It defeated Hutt Valley Technical College, 55-53, in the final of the New Zealand secondary school girls' basketbell championship in Christchurch on Saturday evening.

Earlier in the week the Mairehau boys won the final of their New Zealand championship in Dunedin.

Never before has one school won both national titles. However, the path to victory in the girls’ final was a difficult one. Mairehau led all the way but it was never in a position to relax. Both sides started very cautiously and after smin the score was only 2-0 to Mairehau. After lOmin the margin was still the same (11-8). At halftime, Mairehau . led, 32-26, but with 3min remaining Hutt Valley was just two points behind. In the vital final few minutes, the Mairehau girls demonstrated a better match temperament and this carried them through to victory. It was their second successive national title win.

ZpNE DEFENCE Hutt Valley used a very effective zone defence and many a promising Mairehau movement came to a stumbling halt against this. But the grand display in the centre by L. Brooker, who normally plays as a guard, and the fine long set shooting of P. Hinkley kept Mairehau on top. Brooker was undoubtedly the outstanding player in the game. She constantly probed the Hutt Valley defence, used a very effective jump shot to advantage and defended ably.

Nevertheless, she was not the top scorer in the side. This honour went to K. Adamson who overcame a bad patch in the first spell to score 19 points. The Hutt Valley captain. D. Morgan, led her side by example to score 21 points. K. Flutey played well under the boards and H. Alexander excelexcelled in defence. Scoring details were:— Mairehau 55 (K. Adamson 19, P. Hinkley 16, L. Brooker 16, S. South 2. M. Clarke 2), Hutt Valley 53 (D. Morgan 21. K. Flutey 18, K. Beban 7, H. Alexander 4, M. Caldwell 3). Other results: Glendowie 77, Te Awamutu 64; Horowhenua

65, Westlake 54; Otumoctai 57. Bayfield 52. The trophy for sportsmanship was won by J. Glen (Otumoetai). The New Zealand tournament team, announced after the final, was: V. Morgan. K. Flutey, H. Alexander (all Hutt Valley); L. Brooker. P. Hinkley, K. Adamson (all Mairehau); L. Donaldson (Bayfield); G. Hoggard, J. Glen (Otumoetai), S. Le Grice (Glendowie), L. Hose (Te Awamutu).