Canterbury basketballers handicapped in title bid

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33941, 6 September 1975, Page 4

Canterbury basketballers handicapped in title bid

(By

ROD DEW

In ■ terms' of individual ability, the Canterbury men’s basketball team is as strong as it has ever been but it is handicapped by lack of serious competition and this might well lead to inconsistency in the early stages of the Rothmans New Zealand championship, which will be held at Wellington from September 8 to 13, inclusive.

Not once has the Canterbury team played before its home crowd this season and if it has difficulty settling down at Wellington it could be excused for inviting the Canterbury association to share some of the blame for this. No other provincial side will go to Wellington so poorly prepared in terms of match practice.

Even outside of Christchurch, the team has not had sufficient competition. It attended a tournament in Timaru and the South Island championship tournament at Nelson. Neither time was it at full strength. In spite of this background, the coach (Mr Jack Dempsey) is still optimistic about the chances of the side regaining the Edmonds

Trophy it last held three years ago. “It is a pretty well balanced team. I think it will improve as the tournament proceeds. It will be tough up there but 1 believe that if everything goes our way, we have got a good show of winning. We should give the other teams a hard time.” Without the extreme height of former years, Canterbury will be attempting to play a fast moving game. At the same time, it will be placing great emphasis on defence — a facet of the game often ignored in New Zealand. In Bob Manthei, the captain, and Tim Guthrie Canterbury has two of the most astute mid-court players in the country. Neither are spectacular in their performance but both have excellent control and are capable of accurately reading a game. Manthei started the season disappointingly but is now clearly approaching his best form. Another player nearing his peak after some rather ordinary club performances earlier in the season is the former New Zealand representative. John Fairweather. At 6ft 4in, he will be expected to contribute to the rebounding strength but his main value will be in his scoring ability. His partner in the starting forward line will be another 6ft 4in player, Stewart Ferguson, probably the finest forward in New Zealand at present. He has taken tremendous strides this year since gaining his New Zealand singlet in the New Zealand Games tournament. If he is likely to become a marked man before the championship is very far advanced, he has enough ability to rise above this.

Roger Millard and his 18-year-old understudy, Geoff

Longley, will share - the centre position. A former New Zealand representative, Millard has the strengtji and ability to give Canterbury a decided edge under the baskets. Longley can be impressive, too, but does not have the stamina of his more experienced team-mate. Both are 6ft 7in tall.

Canterbury’s starting line-] up looks as good as any other in the country but it will have a strong bench,' too. Ed Manco, a New Zea-' land junior for the last two| seasons, is an excellent] hustler and better than! average rebounder. His form has slipped a little rec- | ently. but the challenge of] his first national senior] tournament should bring out the best in him.

The others are Dennis Barry, Simon Guthrie and Robert Cooke. Barry and Guthrie will also be competing at their first nationals. Both have made much pro-! gress this year. Cooke, a! prolific scorer at club level,! is another player whol appears to be finding his best form after a no better! than average club season.

Canterbury has been included in the second section. Its first match will be on Monday against Hamilton.: Other section opponents in; order of playing are Pan-; mure, Napier, Wellington; and Combined Services.; The other section contains; North Shore, Auckland,; Otago, Bay of Plenty, New; Plymouth and the defend-! ing champion, Nelson. On playing strengths,; North Shore appears to be! the team to beat. As well as the talented American, Jack Sanders, it has four who have represented New Zealand — Gordon Reardon,, Lou Durante, Rob Arblaster’ and Derek Joustra. Auck-I land, with Dick Agnew, Chris Pardon and Peter; Lund-Jackson, and Welling-1 ton, with Paul Bevan, John | Zohrab and Allan Dry-1 burgh, will also be major contenders for the title.

Nelson has lost its New Zealand centre, Stan Hill, to Panmure but has already; won the South Island title I this season. Its prospects ■ were further advanced last; week-end when it defeated’ Wellington.