Basketball Canty too strong for Waitemata

Press, 31 May 1982, Page 18

Basketball Canty too strong for Waitemata

3ZM Canterbury had a point to prove in its opening Countrywide basketball league match at Cowles Stadium on Saturday afternoon and it did it in style against last vear’s national champions. Drake Personnel Waitemata. Previously ranked last of eight teams in this year’s pre-season s championship ranking. Canterbury played inspired basketball, never allowing Waitemata to settle and eventually winning comfortably by 68 points to 54.

Waitemata never really recovered from Canterbury’s’ initial pressure, first being down. 0-6, then 8-17 at the first time-out after 12Ms minutes, then 8-21. That’s when Canterbury became over-confident and. when the shots began to miss, so did its concentration. Silly errors began to creep into its game and ambitious long-range shots lei! astray and gave away precious possession to an opponent profiting from a bonus in opportunities. Waitemata closed the gap to 24-25 and the signs seemed ominous for Canterbury. Waitemata's tall forward. Peter Logan, a New Zealand representative, although closely guarded by a former national player. John Hill, at this stage was playing a ‘ blinder” and was mainly responsible for his teams resurgence

Then Canterbury cut out the frills and got down to the basics and from that point Waitemata never got close enough to pose a serious threat.

Canterbury led, . 31-26, at the break and the home side's degree of confidence was epitomised at the forty-ninth point when the scorer. Dave Usmar, surely the best player on the court, ran past the Waitemata bench and gave its coach, the volatile John Dybvig, the ''thumb’s up.” With six minutes to go, Canterbury led, 55-44, and, although Waitemata's full-court pressure was proving difficult to penetrate, Canterbury found the gaps. Any chance for Waitemata disappeared when Logan was fouled off with four minutes left. The situation worsened when Brian Brumit, an American import. also left after five fouls, and Canterbury had only to go through the motions to win, 6854.

It was a triumph of teamwork for Canterbury. Certainly there were some polished displays from Usmar, (top-scorer with 24) Hill (he never left the court) and the tall, blond centre, Gilbert “Elbows” Gordon, but the captain, John Whellan, was never still, and Andy Bennett had a sound game. John Wright improved as the game progressed.

Canterbury had greater strength under the basket and even if many first shots were , missed. 50 per cent of the rebounds found the net. Waitemata was disappointing. After taking a long time to.’ settle, the visitors appeared to be getting it all together, only toallow Canterbury to take' the initiative again. ’? The • team’s shooting was. mediocre and countless points were lost through poor direction, misdirected passes under the ? basket, and an inability to get „ round the defence. At one stage in the second half. Waitemata began “throwing bricks” — des-. perate long-range shots that.were easily picked up by an alert Canterbury defence. Apart from' Logan, Scott Voight played soundly, and Inia Rademaker and Paul Ogilvy had their moments. The scorers:

3ZM Canterbury. 68; D. Usmar 24. G. Gordon 16. J. Hill, J. Wright 10, J. Whellan 6, A., Bennett 2.

Drake Personal Waitemata, 54; P. Logan 16, S. Vogt 13. B.' Brumit 5, N. Corlett, P. Ogilvy, I.' Rademaker 4. D. Toe 1. The referee was Mr B. McCormick, and the umpire, Mr W. ‘ Whelan.