Basketballers unbeaten

Press, 19 July 1976, Page 19

Basketballers unbeaten

The New Zealand junior girls, basketball team maintained its. unbeaten record in the series against the American All Stars] when it won the third and final •’test,” 67-46, at Cowles Stadium 1 last evening. With the young guard, Georgiina Henry, in scintillating form, i New Zealand swept to a 20 point I advantage (30-10) at half-time and [looked set for an overwhelming I victory. I Miss Henry was rebounding' ! even better in the second half : land went on to total 19 points, 1 but the American side, representing Mercer Island, Seattle, ' started fighting much more dej terminedly especially in the final quarter. The All Stars side, which includes two Canadians and is (made up of players under 18, j actually scored 36 points in the [second half—only one less than New Zealand—even though its captain. Barb Boylan, was fouled off after 13min. The American player who attracted most attention —she spent nearly the whole time on the .court —was the smallest player. ; Karen Carpine. She bustled j around the court trying to ! block passes from taller players. display ing a nice sleight of [hand occasionally and putting in I four great outside shots—two [were very long indeed. Easily the best player under the boards for the Americans was Margie Nielsen who finished with 15 points and was one of several players who received knocks in a game which was rather a rough-and-tumble af- ; fair. ; Other players to impress in the New Zealand side apart from Miss Henry were the captain-for-

ward, Heather Grayburn, who was most adept as a play-maker, the long-legged centre, Carolyn Nouwen, and another relatively small player, Corrine Poto. One visitor who could perhaps show the All Blacks a thing or two was Beth Boylan who earned a technical foul after making a nice little drop kick (expressing her displeasure with a -decision) into the back wall. The curtain-raiser to this ; match — between Mairehau High School and an under 16 side representing Mercer Island —was a thriller played at a furious pace. Mairehau led. 21-17, at halftime. but quickly made up the deficit and a goal by Karen Ormodt in the final minute levelled the scores. 36-36. Miss Ormodt then had the mortification to miss both her foul shots in the final half second. but her side had a slight but clear superiority in the smin of extra time. The Mercer Island captain Cheryl Ronhoit. tallied an impressive 17 points in the game. Scores:— Mercer Island under 16 girls 42 (C. Ronhoit 17. D Asplund 8. C. Torai 5 K. Ormodt 4. T. Harbour 3. K. Halverson 3, J Baker 2). Mairehau High School 39 <J Howard 10. B McLeod 8. I. Sutherland 8, R. North 7. D. Broughton 6) New Zealand Juniors 67 (G. Henry 19 H. Grayburn 10. C. Poto 10. A. Grant 8. L. Gillie 5. I. Ballantine 4. C. Nouwen 4. J. McMullen 2. J. Cook 2. E. Puia 2 J. Johnston 1), Mercer Island 46 (M. Nielsen 15. K. Carpine 8. I. Bakken 6. Jo Motzger 6. B. Boylan 4. A. McVeigh 4. B Boylan 2. Jan Metzger b.