Basketball Aranui topples Jaks in close match

Press, 14 April 1980, Page 19

Basketball Aranui topples Jaks in close match

Some interesting and unusual! results highlighted the opening) rounds of the Guthrey Travel* men’s first division basketball 1 competition at Cowles Staduim on Saturday. United Service Aranui topped the defending champion, JaksHigh School Old Boys, in a close match, 74-69. Continental Caterers, of Rangiora, held out a determined Y.M.C.A. 40-39, in an even closer low-scoring affair ■while Checkers convincingly beat Mairehau, 86-70. Last year’s runner-up, Inns of the Pacific University, had the bve, but the coach, Bob Bishop, was seen taking a close interest In the performance of the other teams from the top of the stand. U.S. ARANUI B. Knops 22, J. Rademakers 16, A. Campbell 11, K. Ritsmall, P. Hill 8, A. Atchison 4, D. Porter 2). JAKS-H.5.0.8. 6 (K. Duff 26, J. Whelan 16, D. Barry 9, A. Manco 8, T. Guthrie 6, M. Searle 2, H. Thomson 2). Aranui, boasting two New Zealand Representatives, John “Dutchie” Rademakers and a new cap, Bert Knops, startled an unsuspecting Old Boys side early on with a rather well executed fast break, set up by Rademakers who was in full command of the defensive board. All Aranui’s players began to turn on as they sensed the ease with which they were forcing the champions into uncharacteristic errors. The scores were level at 14-14 In the seventh minute when Aranui, with Korrie Ritsma (recently returned from Checkers) Jn fine touch, forced home the advantage to race ahead, 24-14, after three more minutes, and thoroughly deserve a 10-point lead (44-34) at half-time. Aranui had the experienced John. Whelan under control and only Kevin Duff, especially in

the middle of the second spell, was able to find the Aranui basket with any accuracy. Many of his delightful shots were long range ones. A switch to a zone defence by Old Boys upset the smooth rhythm of Aranui at a vital stage in the second spell. A dramatic change came over the game as Aranui was unable to pick Old Boys’ changes in play. One mystified Aranui player called out to his team bunch asking what type of game the opposition were playing. From being 53-68 down in the thirteenth minute, Old Boys strang together 14 points to catch Aranui off guard and closed the gap to 67-68 with only 3 minutes remaining. Fortunately Aranui regained its composure and with the tall Alan Campbell taking the court again, scored three vital baskets to win the match.

Knops showed how he won his way into the national side, finished with an excellent 22 points, scored from both sides of the court and especially with strong driving play. Rademaker’s fine long shot netted him 16 points and Aubium Atchison was solid in j defence till he fouled out in the : seventeeth minute. A most impressive performance came from .Phil Hill who “hustled” extremlely well up front for Aranui and in one 5 minute spell late in the I first half was seen to steal the ball on at least four or five 'occasions. Once having stolen the .ball he was incorrectly called I for kicking the ball, which had i accidental)v bounced off his leg. He immediately restole the ball when Old Boys put it into play and converted this well won possession into two easy points. ■ . , Alan Manco played far below his capabilities for Old Boys,

failing to use his height and he I rebounded rather poorly at times. Duff’s rangy style of play) netted him a valuable 26 points while Whelan finished with 16. Dennis Barry was not as effective as usual, only managing nine points. Hill stole the ball from Barry on several occasions, as effectively as Barry usually does. Aranui’s performance should be even further boosted shortly by the arrival of the New Zealand representative, Andy Bennett, a 2m giant who intends to commute each week-end from Dunedin, as Knops did last season. CONTINENTAL CATERERS RANGIORA 40 (J. Hill 16, L. Dixon 10, R. Scarhill 4, J. London 2. L. Birch 2, A. Robson 2, S. Paterson 2, B. Cummack 1, S. Brown 1). Y.M.C.A. 39 (G. Atvars 9, T. Neumann 8, M. Turner 8, K. Jones 6, P. Kiupers 4, C. Green 2, C. Dobbs). The only sparkle of interest in this game was the cloesness of the score. This low scoring, fast running game was full of fundamental errors by both sides and lacked any Lustre.. In the first spell the lead changed seven times and twice more early in the second half until Rangiora scored eight points in a row to lead 36-29 after the eleventh minute of the second spell. Rangiora had held a slender 26-23 lead at halftime.

The second spell started rather dismally and almost 4min had passed before Guntis Atvars found the ring again for gap to 37-39 with 3 minute Y.MC.A. Y.M.C.A. closed the gap to 37-39 with 3min remaining. No further baskets were scored in this final period with frantic play from both sides, apart from

some free throws. The match could have gone either way, but Rangiora held on to win by a solitary point. Rangoria, the controversial entry into the top men’s grade, might not be the force expected by observers after the side appeared on the scene late last year with players from several clubs — notably Burnside and Checkers. The New Zealand representative, John Hill, although scoring 16 points for Rangiora, was kept partly at bay by some enthusiastic defence from the young Y.M.C.A. side, while the tail Lance Dixon also failed to use his height to any great advantage for Rangiora finishing with only 10 points. Y.M.C.A.’s individual efforts were fairly even with Tom Neumann and Murray Turner, the architects of its attack and Neumann the strength of the defence. Atvars, who changed from Checkers this season, contested the rebounds well, even though giving away several centimetres to Hill and Dixon. But he was limited to nine points. CHECKERS 86, (S. Hill 32, A. Miller 14, W. Marsh 12, P, J. Ward 8, R. Keenan 4, D. Dubzyk 4, P. Daigneault 4, G. Thomson 2, I. Sherrin 2) MAIREHAU 70, (M. Eeaward 19, M. Hall 16, B. Fifield 11, P. Kearney 10, B. Hall 8 S. O’Connell 4, J. Pickles 2). Like most of the other games on Saturday, tHis one suffered from opening day blues with un-co-ordinated passes and turnovers too often prevalent.

The gigantic hulk of Stan Hill, towering over all players on the court, daunted the enthusiasm of the Mairehau players and at times when Hill prepared to drive to the basket, the Mairehau team were reluctant to guard him out. Hill, a player coach recruit-

ment from Auckland, learnt all his fundamental skills in Canterbury, but with much international experience now under his belt, will be a major force in this season’s competition. At times, he would stand just outside the top of the keyhole, grasping the ball with one massive hand and waving it far above the reach of all other players. Hill would then either pass to a teammate or shoot the ball with his highly accurate outside shot as Malrehau’s defence hung off him. In this manner he dominated the game, scoring 32 points, the highest tally of the day. After leading 12-10 in the sixth minute, Checkers piled on the pressure and the points to race through the slack Mairehau defence with Hill and Andy Miller clocking up points with ease. Six minutes later they were ahead 26-12 when Mairehau managed to overcome the situation and set up Matt Hall, an exBurnside player, for three nice baskets.

his fundamental skills in Canternational experience now under bzg jkfi, mWv2lzD Checkers maintained the dominance in the first half to have an overwhelming 49-29 lead at the break. Checkers then rested their main line up with Hill and their other National, representative, Wayne Marsh (who has just joined' Checkers from Otago), sitting on the bench. Mairehau sensed the opportunity and stormed back with six successive baskets and two free throws in just over 3min to close the gap to a more manageable seven points at 42-49. Hall slotted four of these goals

to finish with 16 points. Checkers showed the lack of depth on its team bench as first Marsh, then Hill, returned to the court. Only then did Checkers halt the Mairehau thrust. Checkers led, 59-51, after lOmin and only in the last 3min did they extend their lead any further. Marsh showed some of his brilliance especially with one twohanded, rocket-like, chest pass from deep in Checkers territory which bounced perfectly into the path of a fast-breaking Checkers forward at the other end of the court. The ball bounced at just the right height and all the Checkers’ forward had to do was to lay the ball up to score. Marsh finished with 12 points and Miller with 14 for Checkers while last year’s leading points scorer, Mike Seaward, could only get 19 points for Mairehau.

Seaward and Bede Hall were left to set up Malrehau’s play which restricted Seaward’s scoring potential. Mairehau badly missed the guiding hand of Gordon Phillips, a past master of Mairehau’s attack and the setting up of Seaward’s finishing moves.

With the demise of Burnside, Brian Fifield joined his old team mates, the Hall brothers, to make a useful contribution for Mairehau. Peter Ward, Paul Daigneault and Robert Ruwhiu played minor roles for Checkers. Like Aranui, Checkers will also be dominant in this season’s competition, especially with the arrival shortly in New Zealand of a 2m American, Eric' Vollmaers, to give the Checkers team more depth.