Chance to test new basketball line-up

Press, 2 September 1977, Page 28

Chance to test new basketball line-up

By

ROD DEW

A rearranged Canterbury men’s basketball team will end its build-up for the defence of its national title with a match against its long-standing rival, Otago, at Cowles Stadium tomorrow.

This represents Canterbury's only chance to try out its new combination, made necessary by the withdrawal of key players, before entering the national tournament, which begins in Hamilton next Tuesday. "It will be a tough game — it always is against Otago,” the Canterbury player-coach, Tim Guthrie, said yesterday. "My big worry is that I don’t have a very long bench, ft is going to mean that I am going to have to play a lot more than I had expected. At the start of the season, I was able to sit out games and I was verv happy to do this. But with only eight players, in-i eluding me, this is no longer: possible.”

The latest blow for the: team’s hopes is the withdrawal of Carl Stent, who has 1

just accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of Hawaii. He is not being replaced. In recent weeks, the side has lost the services of its two New Zealand representatives, John Hill and Matt Ruscoe, .-nd the New Zealand junior, Gareth Hare. The team for the Otago match is: Tim Guthrie, Simon Guthrie. Allan Smith, Ed Manco (captain), Dave Usmar, Mike Seaward, Dennis Barry and Geoff Longley. The match will be a par-! ticularly important one for Longley, who returns to the team after not being available for two years. As the tallest man in the side at 2.05 m (6ft 9in), he will be expected to dominate both boards. In addition, the side’s pattern will revolve around him.

Canterbury is the reigning South Island champion side and is unbeaten this year. Its performance against Otago could provide a pointer towards its chances :of successfully defending its national crown in Hamilton ’next week.

Little comfort can be taken from Otago’s unexpected withdrawal from the New Zealand championship. A number of its players were not available for the week-long tournament and it was left with no alternative. However, the trip to Christchurch has been offered as compensation for the side missing the championships and it is expected to be close to full strength. ■

John Rademaker„, one of the outstanding performers' lin the New Zealand team this season, will be the dan-i | german and he will have (first-class support from another of New Zealand’s finest players, John Whelan. Both are prolific scorers. With 2.08 m (6ft lOin) Lloyd Dunstan providing a service from the rebounding department, they should not be short of possession.

Others in the strong southern combination include Bert Knops, formerly of Christchurch, and Andy Bennett. The side will be coached by the inimitable Marshall Seifert, a man who has managed to entertain as well as coach.