Mairehau H.S. seeking N.Z. basketball titles

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33929, 23 August 1975, Page 4

Mairehau H.S. seeking N.Z. basketball titles

Mairehau High School will be attempting to extend its already remarkable basketball record when it defends both the New Zealand secondary school girls’ and boys’ titles at different venues next week.

In the girls’ championship final, which will be held in Lower Hutt from Monday to Wednesday, Mairehau will be seeking its fourth successive victory; The team’s coach, Mr Kerry Williams, considers his players are good enough to win again but is not taking anything for granted. Mairehau recently lost to Bayfield High School (Dunedin), 45-50 — its first defeat in 111 games at school level. On the evidence of this, Bayfield appears to be the side mostly likely to trouble Mairehau. Rotorua, which was beaten by Mairehau in last years’ final, failed to qualify this time but Tokoroa, which has taken its place, will clearly be hard to beat.

Andrea Taylor and Margaret Clarke are expected to play leading roles in Mairehau’s bid for the title.

The boys’ championship will be held at Timaru on August 28, 29 and 30. In this, Mairehau will be seeking its third successive victory. Mr Williams, who also coaches the boys, considers that “if everything goes right, we must have a good chance of winning. We have more shooting power than ever before.” . Church College, which finished runner-up last season, has again qualified but the team to beat will be Auckland Grammer. It lost to Mairehau by only four points in the semi-finals last season. Four members of the New Zealand secondary schoolboys’ team. Carl Stent, Peter Howell, .John Cadlwell and Murray Belcher give Mairehau great depth. Christchurch Boys’ High School, which has been regarded as one of the top

teams for many years although it had not , previously played in the final, will also be a leading contender under the guidance of its astute coach, Mr Ray Thomson. A young team, it has made enormous progress this winter and should finish in the first three. Its trump card will be Allan Manco, at 6ft sin one of the tallest players in the tournament.