Huntley arrives for two-year term

Press, 21 February 1983, Page 34

Huntley arrives for two-year term

The American-born basketbailer, Clyde Huntley, arrived in Christchurch last evening determined to help Canterbury win the national men’s league championship this season.

Huntley has signed for the Checkers club in Christchurch for two seasons and was last week named in the 16-man Canterbury squad. The 24-year-old point guard has played for the second division team, Karori, for the last two years, and in his first year was named the best guard in New Zealand. Huntley is 1.8 metres in height and weighs 175 kg. The genial American has been sponsored by a Christchurch company and in the off season will coach for Checkers. It is understood that Huntley’s signing on fee was in the five-figure bracket. “Ever since I’ve been in New Zealand I’ve wanted to play in Christchurch,” said Huntley last evening. “Now, given that chance, and with the high standard of the players that I’ll be associated with, I’m sure we’ve got a great chance of taking the league title.” Huntley was bom in New Orleans and has two brothers and a sister. His father is a truck driver and his mother a part-time nurse. Football was his first sporting love when he went to school: “I’d just pick up that ball and run, but I didn't like the tackling much,” he smiled.

Then it was baseball and basketball. While in the ninth grade, he moved and went to stay with his basketball coach until his senior year. He was then two years at junior college and won a basketball scholarship to Washington State University where he stayed two and a half years. Asked what he thought the primary role of a point guard was — there are very few in New Zealand — Huntley replied that the position was basically that of being an extension of the coach. “He tells me what he wants and I try to produce the goods. It’s more like being a floor general,” Huntley said.