Easter basketball will be tough

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34129, 15 April 1976, Page 28

Easter basketball will be tough

(By

ROD DEW)

Competition for the $2OO first prize in the men’s A grade promises to be tough and uncompromising in the fourday Coruba Rum South Island Easter basketball tournament, which begins on Friday in Cowles Stadium. The three top Christchurch teams. High School Old Boys, Checkers and Y.M.C.A., must all be considered leading contenders and there is also certain to be a strong outside challenge from Nelson Old Boys and Otago University. The strength of the Nelson side will revolve around the former New Zealand captain, Dave Taylor, still one of the

top guards in the country, and the brilliant 6ft sin American, Bill Eldred. One of the leading players in the country in recent years, Eldred returns to the Nelson team after a period in the North Island.

Otago University, coached by the entertaining Marshall Seifert, is a young side but capable of upsetting the more mature combinations. John Whelan, a New Zealand representative forward, is well known for his matchwinning solo performances. On form at domestic level. Checkers looks to be the Christchurch team with the best chance. The 6ft 4in New Zealand forward, John Fairweather, has been getting a splendid response from his team, indicating unsuspected ability as a

player-coach. With another player up to national standard, Robert Cooke, and a very reliable mid-court player in Dennis Barry, Checkers has impressive depth. Old Boys, who won the Canterbury championship last season, were beaten in last year’s Easter tournament by Otago University after earlier defeating Y.M.C.A., then regarded as the leading Christchurch entrant. Old Boys will be out to set the record straight this time.

They will be led by the experienced guard. Tim Guthrie, and will be strengthened by the return of Carl Dickel, who has been recovering from a minor operation. The team is a young one, but very talented, and should do well.

Y.M.C.A. has not yet properly settled down and there must be doubts about its ability to win this time. However, it is as strong in theory and could still win. Other teams contesting the men’s A grade, which will be played in three sections with semi-finals on Sunday and the final on Monday, are Athletic (Nelson), Lion Tavern (Timaru), Checkers B, K. B. (Dunedin), Aranui Old Boys, Mairehau and Burnside. An entry of seven has been accepted for the I women’s A grade, which will be played on a round robin; basis, with the two top; teams playing off for $lOO first prize on Sunday. Tennis (Nelson) won last year but it is not quite so strong this time and the Christchurch champion side, Mairehau A, must have a grand chance. Checkers, another top Christchurch side, has sparked off some controversy by including the New Zealand representative, Cheryl Fleet, in its team. She "has just completed a season in Australia and lives in Lower Hutt. She will be staying in Christchurch during Easter and indicated that she would like to play.