Basketball sides named

Press, 14 May 1981, Page 32

Basketball sides named

Three Christchurch sides were among the 16 teams announced yesterday for the national women’s club basketball championships at Lower Hutt next month. Asia Pacific Travel (formerly Aranui), Checkers, and Mairehau have been seeded fifth, seventh, and eighth respectively for the tournament from June 16-20. All three teams have performed well in the local Cooper-Henderson division competition. The New Zealand Basketball Federation’s executive officer,- Mr Joe McLeod, said yesterday that Checkers’ seventh seeding — they, won the national title last year - had been a reflection of the

team’s loss of three key players and its coach from last year, Jerry Cole. The No. 1 seed for the tournament is Crichton Ford, of Napier, which will be looking for its fourth title in five years. Before last year’s national tournament the Crichton side had won three consecutive national titles. If the second seed, Akarana, of Auckland, made the final, Mr McLeod predicted an interesting battle between the two' top teams’ coaches. Crichton is coached by the national women’s assistant coach, John Dybvig, and Akarana is coached by the national women’s coach, Ross Williams.

The final is scheduled to be televised on Sunday June 21. Mr McLeod said this fact may have encouraged the large number of teams that received sponsorship . this year.

The teams for the national tournament. in their order of ranking, are: Crichton Ford (Napier) 1, Akarana (Auckland) 2, Centrals (Wellington) 3. Kotuku (Hamilton) 4, Asia Pacific Travel (Christchurch) 5, Boystown Levis (Auckland) 6, Checkers (Christchurch) 7, Mairehau (Christchurch); 8, Don Rovers (Auckland) 9, McLeay Duff (Auckland) 10, Ocean Pacific (North Shore) 11, Shakespeare Tavern (Auckland) 12, Olympic (Porirua) 13, Electricity (Dunedin) 14. Flanagans (Wellington) 15. Wairaka (Whakatane) 16. Reserve teams: Rangatahi (South Auckland).