12-YEAR RUN BY OTAGO ... Island basketball title likely to change hands

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33577, 4 July 1974, Page 26

12-YEAR RUN BY OTAGO ... Island basketball title likely to change hands

(By

R. O. DEW)

Otago has won the South Island men’s basketball title without a break since 1962, but its long winning run seems likely to end in the 1974 championship tournament, which will begin in Cowles Stadium tomorrow.

For the first time in at least a decade, Otago lacks experienced players. There is only one regular player remaining from last season’s successful side—the former New Zealand representative, G. Allen, who is the captain.

Even the Otago coach, Mr D. Sharp, is not confident that his team will extend its record. “I wouldn’t pick us again this year,” he said during a recent visit to Christchurch. “But we were not always expected to win before. We have had good players and we have also had a lot of luck — we won the title three times on points for and against. Vigorous team

“This season we are teambuilding and we are short on height. However, the players will be very vigorous.” Otago’s main objective in this tournament will be to finish among the first three and qualify for the New Zealand championship, to be held at Napier from Septem-

ber 16 to 21. This, at least, should be well within its ability if the side’s performance against Canterbury a fortnight ago was any indication.

There is some doubt about the fitness of the team’s highscoring forward. J. Whelan, a member of last season's national side. He has been suffering from cartilege trouble. Nevertheless, it would be an unwise team which took Otago lightly. Its starting team is likely to be Whelan, Allen M. Turner, A. Calder and G. Smith, at 6ft 3in the tallest member. This is certain to be a well prepared side.

Ironically, players who have had leading roles in Otago’s more recent successes wiirthfs time be playing against their former province, The former New Zealand representative, L. Armstrong, will represent Nel-

son, and C. R. Dickel, at his best one of the finest outside shooters in the game, will play for Canterbury. Nelson appears to be the favourite. It can call on one New Zealand representative, the 6ft Bin centre, S. Hill, three former representatives, C. Cotton, Armstrong and D. Tayler, and one junior representative, P. McDougall, who previously played for South-

The 6ft sin American, C. Aldred, and the proven ability of such experienced players as C. Morris, A. Harding and J. Phelps, give the side great depth. Guthrie’s task Canterbuiy, too, has depth, but much will depend on how T. Guthrie controls the team in his first major tournament as player-coach. He intends to give his players every opportunity to use their individual skills and will adopt a man-to-man defence in preference to the widely-used zonal system. “We could be very good — or very bad,” he said; The other two teams, South Canterbury and Marlborough, are by no means weak. However, they are not expected seriously to trouble the ’’big three.” South Canterbury will have two former Otago players, R. Murdoch and K. Murray, and a former Canterbury captain, P. Ross. Marlborough’s key men are expected to be W. Shaw, J. Walsh, P. Guillen and S. Rickets. Guillen is a former Otago representative and Rickets played for Canterbury . last season. Shaw, a former international, is playing again after a short retirement.