Basketball Impressive start by Mairehau

Press, 6 April 1981, Page 19

Basketball Impressive start by Mairehau

• Mairehau A made an impressive start to +hL season’s Cooper Henderson •women’s division one basketball competition with a solid 73-76 win over Continental Caterers Ragiora at Cowles Stadium on Saturday.

The Mairehau side has played the bridesmaid to Checkers and Mairehau High School over the last four seasons and with such a depth of talent in its line-up this season must hope to improve on its runners-up spot in the last four seasons. Mairehau A 73, Continental Caterers 36 - The Mairehau coach, Mr Tony McFarlin, will have a hard job choosing the starting five when it get. to the harder games. Nearly all the 10 players impressed.

■ Five players reach double figures with the national trialist, Patsy Barry (10) playing a cool, commanding 'role. Donna Broughton (6) and Bronwyn Palmer (12) controlled play well from the rear, setting up many useful moves. Sue Bennett (formerly Hagley) impressed in her : rst division one appearance and moved with great agility as did the “old hand,” Shirley Kemp. The solidly-built I.Bm Malian Bain played a steady defensive role. Jacky Cook sunk several delicate long shots and Karen Richardson showed a lot of speed, picking up 12 points quickly in the second spell. Metrn Stokes, the tall national junior, had a run of missed .shots but rebounded skongly. Mairehau ran the ball freely and hardly let the country girls through its tight zone defence. Mary-Jane Ives marked her return to basketball with a strong display for Rangiora to notch 11 points, while Rpngo King, Carolyn Winter, and Kim Smith all tried hard.

Checkers A 61, Rebels A 34 Canterbury’s other two national trialists, Beth McLeod (16) and Leslie Hannen (10), gave Checkers an

early 10-3 lead after five minutes. They impressed throughout with strong driving play. Rebels, the team that beat United Service in the Ashburton invitation tournament (not Rangiora as earlier reported) replied with a determined team effort to close the gap to 16-18 after 15 minutes, Barbara Carr and Debbie Shanks leading the’ way. This effort was short-1 lived and Checkers dominated the remainder of the] game. Checkers led 32-21, at| half-time. i Checkers has five of its! top players back from last year, including the enduring: Sharon Constable who is now -he captain. Most impressive of the new Checkers line-up was Somya Rimene, a diminutive 18-year-old forward from Masterton. United Service 42, University 27. Both teams took a long time to settle down, watching each other’s moves too closely and forgetting the fundamentals. Both coaches Messrs Murray Mac Kay and Phil Whiteside, also seemed to try to outdo one another. Adrianna Beakenholdt, who narrowly missed selection for a national trial, was a little off form, playing a little too individually at times but slotted home 10 of her 12 points in the second half to lead United Service to a better showing. Ann Brokenshire got through a lot of work, attacking relentlessly, while Denise Mac Kay worked aggressively, only to pick up four first half fouls. Her fourth one, just before the break, may have been more fairly called a tie ball. University seems capable of improving as the season progresses. The big girls, Chris Proctor and Allison Wright, showed where University’s strength lies. Scoring details were.—

Mairehau A 73 (K. Richardson 12, B. Palmer 12, J. Cook, 11, M. Stokes 10, P.

Barry 10, D. Broughton 6, S. Kemp 6, S. Bennett 4, M. Bain 2) beat Continental Caterers, Rangiora 36 (M. Ives 11, C. Winter 6. K. Smith 5, Y. Kerr 4, L. Stevenson 4, S. Blackadder 2, K. Costain 2, J. Harris 2). Checkers A 61 (B. McLeod 16, L. Hannen 10, M. Dwane 8, P. Roberts 6, S. Constable 6, D. Woodhouse 6, P. McLeod 6, S. Rimene 3) beat Rebels A 34 (J. Douglas 13, D. Shanks 5, B. Carr 5, M. Williams 3. J. Cumming 3, A. Robinson 3, H. Steele 2). United Service Aranui 42 (A. Beukenholdt 12, A. Brokenshire 8, V. Cowley 4, T. Beaukenholdt 4, D. Mackay 4, B. Jones 4, C. Stenstrim 4, P. King 2) beat University 27 (V. Brand 6, M. Porteous 5, A. Wright 4, R. Walker 4, C. Proctor 4, K. Mason 2, T. Costain 2). Results of lower grade! games were.— MEN Division two: Checkers B 57, Bumside A 49; University B 55, Taxes A 35; Y.M.C.A. - Winstone 40, United Service B 26. Division three (A): HSOB 81, Dakes 46; Continental Caterers 65, CBHS A 41; Butler Auto Spares C 70, Mairehau B 28; Lincoln College 60, Riccarton 31.

Division three (B): Hagley 34, Burnside B 26; Checkers C 57, CBHS B 34; HSOB C 62, Taxes B 44; RNZAF 53, United Service C 42. WOMEN

Division two: Hagley A 73, Christchurch United 37; Checkers B 46, Halswell A 32; Hotshots A 52, Mairehau High School 36. Division three A: Burnham 51, Burnside HS 18; United Service B 47, Mairehau B 27; YMCA A 31, Checkers C 29; University B 69, Burnside A 2. Division three B: Rangiora High School 46, Continental Caterers B 34; Halswell B 55, YMCA B 6; United Service C 34, Polytechnic 12; Hotshots B 26, Mairehau HS B 21.