NO LACK OF INCENTIVES FOR FERGUSON Leading N.Z. basketballer to spend year in America

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33881, 28 June 1975, Page 4

NO LACK OF INCENTIVES FOR FERGUSON Leading N.Z. basketballer to spend year in America

(By

ROD DEW)

Nobody has made a bigger impact on the national men’s basketball scene this winter than the 6ft 4in Canterbury and Y.M.C.A. forward, Stewart Ferguson. Elevated to the starting' line-up for New Zealand’s “test” series against the Chico State University Wildcats, he was an immediate success, adjusting splendidly to the guard position he was asked to fill.

It now seems certain that this 21-year-old university student will have a marked influence over the fortunes of the New Zealand team in the important Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament in Australia from September 12 to 15.

However, the Oceania tournament will also probably mark Ferguson’s final appearance for his country for a season or two. He is planning to spend next year in the United States

completing a masters degree. At the same time, he wants to make the most of the basketball opportunities which will undoubtedly present themselves.

“Study will come first but the basketball will be a pretty important part of the trip, too,” Ferguson said. He is well aware of the basketball benefits to be gained in the home of the sport. In the 1973-74 summer, he spent three months in Los Angeles and played basketball practically every day.

“I got a lot out of this—and I made a lot of contacts.”

If the scheme to complete a masters degree at an American university falls through, he still hopes to go to America for a holiday, much the same as he did the last time. But that would mean he would be back in New Zealand in time for next season. A modest young man with a very agreeable personality, Ferguson achieved

this year what he set out to do in basketball — earn his New Zealand singlet. He made his New Zealand debut in the New Zealand Games and, although he spent a lot of time on the

bench, he is certain that this had much to do; with him later gaining a place in the starting line-up for the Chico tour. "Even though I didn’t get too much court time, 1 learned a lot. The environment created was tremendous. It made me more enthusiastic than ever before.”

It was obvious that Ferguson was going to be among the certainties for the team to play against Chico but few expected him to win a place in the starting five. The claims of John Saker (6ft 7in), Stan Hill (6ft 9in) and Bill Eldred (6ft sin) were just too strong. It was a master stroke on the part of the national coach, Mr Steve McKean, to place the Canterbury forward in the guard line with the team captain. John MacDonald. “At fjrst it seemed a bit strange having to stay out in the mid-court. I am used to crashing the boards and rebounding. Even at club level, I don’t play as a guard very often.” Nevertheless, he settled; down in this unfamiliar! position so well that he I stayed there for all four! matches against Chico.; Now he feels that; his future is as a utility'! anywhere except, possibly I in the centre.

New Zealand won only one match against Chico — the first, in Christchurch — but it played probably its best game in losing in the final match at Auckland. Whether great progress was made will become more obvious when the Oceania tournament is held in September. Ferguson is convinced that New Zealand gained much and feels that tours of this nature are extremely valuable.“ Chico was a young team and it had to work hard. We gained a Ibt from their visit and they probably gained something from it as well.”

Although he has now won New Zealand honours, Ferguson does not feel that all the incentives have gone. He is keenly looking forward to the Oceania tournament and considers that New Zealand, provided it is at full strength, will have a good chance of upsetting Australia.

The only two from the team which played Chico who are not available are Saker, who is going to the United States in August, and Eldred, who is not eligible because of his American nationality. These losses will be largely offset if John Fairweather (Canterbury), the outstanding forward in the! New Zealand teams of! 1974, makes himself available again. Ferguson credits much of his basketball success to the early grounding given by the master in charge of physical education at Christchurch Boys’ High School, Mr Ray Thomson, and to the fact that he was unable to become deeply involved in any sport at an early age because of his family situation. His father was a forest ranger and the primary schools young! Ferguson attended had little organised sport. “There wasn’t any major sporting influence until I! went to Boys’ High! School. I used to be the tallest in my class and it' was suggested that I should play basketball.”

He immediately came under the influence of Mr' Thomson, a former Canterbury representative and a man acknowledged as one j of the finest coaches in the!

country. “He started me off and taught me all the fundamentals. I owe him a tremendous lot."

Ferguson was coached bv Mr Thomson for five years. But he had not been playing long before he started to make an impression, even outside the school teams. He was just 15 .when, with a schoolmate of similar age, Max King, he made his debut for the Canterbury senior representative team. They were the first schoolboys to play for Canterbury.

King a brilliant mathematician, later concentrated more on studies and contented himself with playing basketball at a lower level. But Ferguson has been a regular Canterbury representative since. There can be no doubt that he will continue to do so for a great many years yet. Already a fine ball hahdler and a superb shot. Ferguson should prove the hottest property in the game when he returns from his next trip to the United States.