Tomorrow’s match Stan Hill’s last?

Press, 11 July 1980, Page 24

Tomorrow’s match Stan Hill’s last?

By

EION SCOTT

The match against Launceston Casino from Tasmania tomorrow may be Stan Hill’s last game for the New Zealand men’s basketball team. Hill said that he would play only the Christchurch segment of the three-match series, because of work commitments. "I won’t be going down to Timaru next week. I’ve had two months off already, and I’m losing too much money.”

His intentions came as a surprise to the national coach, Steve McKean, who had not heard the news until "The Press” got in touch with him in Auckland. “At this stage in New Zealand basketball, a lot of people say ‘What would we do without Stan?’ Everyone understands that his contribution is the difference between winning and losing a game,” said Mr McKean. “Every team in the world has to start with its big man, and we’re fortunate to have Stan.” Mr McKean also said that he could understand how work commitments could stop players turning out for the New Zealand side. “If I was in Christchurch and knew he had financial

ji problems, I would make sure' I that he was playing in thejl New Zealand team,” he said.it “even if I had to reimburse ’ him myself.” i* The loss of Hill will be an; I additional set-back to Newir Zealand’s chances of beatingij the Australian side. Their team has also lost the ser-j vices of the former captain,'t Stu Ferguson. Canterbury! J supporters will miss Fergu-!x son. who played his first'l basketball for Jaks H. 5.0.8. a before moving to the Auck-lv land team, Ocean Pacific. it

i Along with Hill, Ferguson i had four weeks away :n Taiwan and the strain on his 'teaching career, a new fatni ily, and mortgages meant I that he could not play in the [national club championships either. Ocean Pacific failed to justify its fifth seeding as a result, and finished outside the top eight clubs. Ferguson has been replaced bv another former Jaks player. Dave Usmar. Usmar now plays for Nelson and has had three years experience in the national team. “Dave is the sort of plaver who can be an asset in the right situation,” said Mr McKean. With seven of the 10 members of the squad coming from Christchurch, the team is virtually a Canterbury sile. However, the inclusion of three United Services Aranui players, John “Dutchie” Rademakers, Andy Bennett, and Bert Knops is made suspect by the club’s poor showing in the nationals. When asked how he rated the team’s chances. Mr McKean said: “We know very little about Launceston. They have four Americans and so must be strong. But without Stan, the whole context of the game changes.”