Services team a strong one

Press, 2 June 1977, Page 26

Services team a strong one

By

ROD DEW

The possibility of the Canterbury men’s basketball team’s retaining its unbeaten record this season diminished yesterday, with the announcement of the New Zealand Combined Services team for the three-day South Island tournament which will begin in Cowles Stadium on Saturday. Led by a former New Zealand captain, Gary Pettis (Auckland), the services team is the strongest on record, and if the individual ability of its players can be quickly moulded into a cohesive unit it should win the tournament.

However, lack of training time together will be a handicap, and the provincial sides will at least be able to exploit this in the early games. i Apart from Pettis, who

was the national captain fori several years before going overseas, there are two other former New Zealand representatives, Gordon Reardon (Auckland) and Boh Philby (Hamilton), and one member of this season’s national junior side, the former Canterbury’ player, Allan Manco, who now lives in Wellington.

There are two New Zealand trialists in Tip Arthur and Terry Orchard (both Wellington) and another player of great experience, lan Hastings (Auckland).

Reardon, who is 6ft 9in tall and one of the strongest rebounders in the country, will present a particularly difficult problem for opposing teams.

“The confident Canterbury, coach is panicking,” Tim ’ Guthrie, who guided the team to victory in the recent Canadian Goodwill Tourna-

iment, said last evening. “I don’t see how we are going to get enough possession to do anything. They have got too much height. They will kill us on the boards.”

The top three teams in the tournament qualify for the New Zealand championship tournament at Hamilton in September, and Combined Services’ unsuspected strength has cast a shadow of uncertainty over this as well. Canterbury, Otago, and Nelson were expected to be the three qualifiers, but now it seems that one will miss.

I Guthrie has played safe iwith his team and named I the same nine players who Avon the Goodwill Tourney. ]The New Zealand forward, John Fairweather, will again Ibe the captain, and Guthrie is also expected to play a i bigger playing role than he I did at Blenheim.

A minor surprise is the

decision not to include the New Zealand trialist, Geoff Longley, who was not available for the Blenheim tourney. He could have helped Canterbury over its height problem, but Guthrie was understandably unwilling to break up a winning combination.

A lot will depend on how Canterbury’ fares under the boards, and this places a heavy burden of responsibility on two young players of great potential, John Hill (6ft 7in) and Carl Stent (6ft 3in). Both have shown good form this season, and this tournament should help them prepare for the New Zealand trials next month. Canterbury has also entered its B team for the tournament and, coached by Mr Murray Mackay, it should not be disgraced. However, its chances of qualifying among the top

three are slim. It -will be captained by the little Y.M.C.A. guard, Selo Soylemozoglu. Longley, not required for the top team, should prove very valuable under the boards. Dave Usmar (6ft 7in) will also help in this department. But it is surprising that Mr Mackay has not included the 6ft 6in Old Boys B centre, Peter Randle, in spite of his relative inexperience. The two teams are:— Canterbury A. — J. Fairweather (captain), D. Barry, J. Hill, E. Manco, M. Ruscoe, A. Smith, T. Guthrie, M. Seaward, C. Stent. Canterbury B. — S. Soylemozoglu (captain), J. Wright, G. Hare, D. Usmar, IS. Guthrie, G. Magon, G. 'Longley, G. Philips, M. I Searle, A. Paurini. .