Canterbury unbeaten in basketball

Press, 16 September 1976, Page 6

Canterbury unbeaten in basketball

The minnows of the national basketbail pond are progressively being swallowed by the B team of one of the sport’s bigger fish, Canterbury, in the first New Zealand second-division’tour-nament at Cowles Stadium.

Although most matches in the series have been evenly contested, none of the other provinces have been able to approach the team-work of Canterbury B, which remained unbeaten with comfortable wins over Buller and South Canterbury yesterday. Marlborough moved Into second position,' with three wins, when it came from a 10-point deficit at the interval to beat Hawera. 79-61. last evening.

Marlborough shaken by a heavy loss to Canterbury B on the opening day, now has a good chance of reaching the final. in spite of the exhortations and Individual example of the Canterbury B captain, Carl Dickel, the home side has been slow to take control of its matches, which trend was again noticeable yesterday. However, the greater experience of the Canterbury players has eventually been the telllag feature, plus the even nature of the individual scoring, in comparison with its opponents’ need to rely on one or two more effective figures when scoring cliances had been created Canterbury surged away from Buller over the last five minutes to win. 83-63, in their breakfast clash early yesterday morning. The prospect of the tournament becoming a Canterbury banquet was all but reduced to a serving of soggy toast and cold tea when Buller trailed only 59-63, but a more awakened outlook from Canterbury, and some inaccuracies by the Buller attack, made all the difference over the closing stages. The Canterbury points contributions were evenly spaced from Peter Howell (20), to Mike Seaward (151, Alan Smith and Dickel (12 each), John Hill and Gordon Phillips (11 each). About tea time, Canterbury was continuing its pattern, picking at its platter to nudge South Canterbury back to 35-29

by half-time, and then feasting after the resumjition to gain an 82-51 result. Dickel this time led the wav with 24 points, although the margin was opened when aix different scorers featured in a sixminute period which left Tlmaru and environs having to be content with the crumbs available. The appetites of basketball followers were well satisfied by some of the close matches further down the competition table. Southland and Buller went into extra time before tha former prevailed. 64-62; Marlborough accumulated 56 of the 110 points In its match with Porirua; and South Auckland lost Its first half initiative is bowing to Hawera, 49-45. BuUer appeared to have tha result in safe keeping against Southland when it was in front, 53-47, with less than a minute te go. But indecisive defence by Buller enabled Southland to recover, and apparently go ahead by one point at full-time. A scoring error was then discovered, and Southland had te continue its advance in extri time to clinch a win. Results were:—

Marlborough 72, Southland 60; Canterbury B 83. Buller 63 Southland 70. South Canterbun S a ";£ ra 49 - South Auckland 45; Marlborough 56. Porirua 54 Southland 64, Buller 62 (extri time); Canterbury B 82, Soutk ■ Canterbury 51; Marlborough 79 i Hawera 61.