Aranui has first basketball loss

Press, 3 August 1981, Page 18

Aranui has first basketball loss

Vistalite-High School Old Boys became the first team to beat United Service-Aranui in the Cooper-Henderson division. one basketball on Saturday.

Old Boys won the match. 60-58. after surviving a late rally by Aranui. Old Boys had led. 40-18, at half-time.

The upset is unlikely to change the top two placings in the competition. however. with Aranui assured of one of the two berths for the best-of-three series later this month to decide the division one champion. Chateau Regency-University survived a bustling performance from Continental CaterersRangiora on Saturday, to win. 7860. and take the other place for the play-off.

In the other division one match Butler Auto SparesY.M.C.A. played disciplined basketball to defeat Mairehau. 60-58.

As the championship play-offs approach, the points table is:

Aranui 28. University 24. Old Boys 20. Rangiora 14. Y.M.C.A. 12. Mairehau 8. Checkers 2. VISTALITE-H.5.0.8. 60: D. Barry 16, K. Duff 14. H. Thomson and j. Whelan 10. K. Agar 4. M. Serie. K. Luxton and C. Cowie 2. UNITED SERVICE-ARANUI 58: A. Atchison and A. Campbell 19. P. Hill 8. P. Vos 6. N. Costain, T. Costain and I. Johnson 2. Solid rebounding and consistent boxing-out won this match for Old Boys. Their play allowed them to control a large part of the match and it was not until their rebounding slipped that Aranui had a chance.

The first half was completely controlled by Old Boys with Hugh Thomson playing a grittygame under the boards at both ends of the court. The Old Boys domination showed in the half time score of 40-18.

Aranui staged a late comeback in the second spell, but with the Old Boys players Kelvin Duff and Dennis Barry sinking the

occasional shot, it was all Old Boys needed to hold the lead.

Even though Aranui had scored 40 points in the second spell to Old Boys’ 20, it was not enough to swing the match. The fine play of the Old Boys side was complemented by the astute substitutions run from the Old Boys bench by Ray Thomson. His timely switching of players may have been worth the two points that separated the two sides at the end of the game. For Aranui Al Campbell and Aub Atchison again led the scorers and the rebounding, while Phil Hill injected some spark into the Aranui performance in the second half. BUTLER AUTO SPARESY.M.C.A. 60: J. Bosch 18. G. Atvars 12. K. Jones and T. Neumann 8. C. Dobbs 6. I. Webb 4. R. Fraser and C. Green 2. MAIREHAU 58: M. Hall 22. B. Hall 18. M. Seaward 14. B. Fifield and D. Broughton 2.

Y.M.C.A.'s John Bosch dominated the early stages of this match and was possibly the deciding factor in the tense game. Y.M.C.A. played with great discipline, which contrasted with the Mairehau freeflowing style. The Y.M.C.A. control began to crack during the second spell, however, and Mairehau. led by the Hall brothers Mathew and Bede, staged a late comeback.

If it had not been for some sharp play by Y.M.C.A.'s Ken Jones, his side’may have lost the game. In those final minutes of the match Jones was superb, scoring two logic-defying lay-ups and stealing the ball to set up a third. For Y.M.C.A. Bosch and Guntis Atvars combined well to rebound strongly at both ends of the court; both also had good shooting performances. For Mairehau the Hall brothers and Mike Seaward had been a forceful trio, but bad not been able to have a free reign against the taller Y.M.C.A. forwards.

CHATEAU REGENCY-UNI-VERSITY 78: M. Herriott 28. R. Parkinson 14. R. Ruwhui 13. C. Crampton 11. M. Ruscoe 7. G. Gordon 3. J. Wright 2. CONTINENTAL CATERERS-RANGI-ORA 61): J. Hill 19. L. Dixon 17. A. Robson and S. Nuku 6, J. Lonson 5. G. Maynard 4. P. Hobbs 2. B. Cummack and S. Brown 1.

John Hill had a season-high 19 points in this game and led the Rangiora attack, despite having been sent home from the William Jones international tournament earlier in the week with gastroenteritis.

However, even his good form could not compete with a display of team plav from University that ultimately allowed the highleaping Max Herriott to have his season-best game with 28 points.

In a match with many fouls it was the teamwork and ability of all the University squad that paid off in the face of the freewheeling Rangiora team. For University Herriott. Roger Parkinson and'Colin Crampton stood out. while Hill and the other tall man in the Rangiora team. Lance Dixon, were again the kingpins in their team's attack and defence.