Canty swamps Porirua

Press, 27 June 1983, Page 21

Canty swamps Porirua

FRANK DUGGAN

The 3ZM Canterbury senior men’s basketball team’s revival, which started the previous week in Wellington as a promising trickle, built up to a raging torrent at Cowles Stadium on Saturday evening when Canterbury swamped Porirua, 110-85. Canterbury’s score equalled the highest’ in this season’s Countrywide league — Drake Personnel, of Auckland, has also made 110 — and is the biggest the Rams have accomplished in the last three seasons. The way the win was accomplished had a previously subdued Canterbury crowd roaring and clapping almost continuously for the last 20 minutes. Little wonder the crowd was slightly numb at the finish. Previously on the losing end of five home matches, Canterbury looked like adding to the record when trailing Porirua, 46-56, at half time. But it was only the lull before the storm. Sixty-four points scored by any team in a half is usually reserved for American professional teams. When this is accomplished by a provincial team, such as Canterbury, it is little short of miraculous, but Canterbury proved that miracles can happen. It was the second time in six days that Canterbury scored more than 100 points in a game. The previous Sunday in Wellington, Canterbury rattled up 101 points against Exchequer Saints only to lose by three points. The day before, Canterbury’s 92 points beat 2ZB Centrals. So, in seven days, Canterbury scored 303 points, recorded two wins, and more importantly, moved further away from the relegation area. The Canterbury coach, Mr Darrell Todd, said it all when he remarked after the match that “The boys did it, not me.” “I let them do their thing, and they responded,” he said. But he must be eternally grateful-to one of the “boys,” the likeable and unassuming American guard, Clyde Huntley. Huntly has been Canterbury’s star this season, but it is doubtful if he has shone brighter than in the last week. In three games Huntley has shot 117 points and his 49 points on Saturday was the second highest in the national league this season. Kenny McFadden (Saints) holds the record with 56 points. Huntley’s season total of 293 points gives him an average well into the 30 per cent bracket, and on Saturday, he converted 18 of 33 attempts for a 56 per cent average. He has become something of a past master of the threepoint shot from the 6.5-metre line. Against Saints the previous week, he sank six, and then added five more over a hapless Porirua on Saturday. The

last one, not only climaxed an almost unbelievable evening for Huntley personally, as well as for other members of the team, but came as a spontaneous reaction to a sideline suggestion by Mr Todd. There were only two seconds left and it was a Canterbury throw in from the side. Huntley went to put the ball back into play when Mr Todd whispered in his ear, “A threepointer and we’re the highest scorers in the league.” Huntley quickly gave the ball to Bede Hall for the throw-in and placed himself perfectly outside the threepoint line for the resulting

pass. His shot never looked like missing. Neither did his award as the player of the match. Eight of the nine members of the Canterbury team hit the' score-line which added further proof of an outstanding team effort. Dave Edmonds had his best game for Canterbury, working equally as well under both boards. He was the top defensive rebounder with eight and shot 20 points, mostly from in close. The back three of Dave Usmar, Lance Dixon, and Andy Bennett worked tirelessly. Usmar did not get as many scoring opportunities as usual

and the same could be said for Dixon. The trio managed 31 points between them, and Bennett snatched six defensive rebounds. Porirua’s high-scoring forward, James Lofton, was kept under a watchful eye and, invariably, had to make his own chances. To score 35 points under such circumstances far outshone anything his other team members offered. Lofton’s 35 points now give him 324 for the season. Matt Ruscoe was steady on the outsides, and Chris Rogers (17 points) was the best of the others, although his form fell away appreciably in the

second half. In a curtain-raiser, a High School Old Boys invitation team beat the under-20 Canterbury team, 41-37. The scores were: 3ZM CANTERBURY 110 (C. Huntley 49, D. Edmonds 20, D. Usmar 13, L. Dixon 10, A. Bennett 8, B. Hall, I. Webb 4 each, C. Ritsma 2). Porirua 85 (J. Lofton 35, C. Rogers 17, J. Saker 13, E. Le Pou 10, M. Ruscoe 8, M. Gatara 2). Half-time: Porirua 56, Canterbury 46. The referees were Messrs R. Milligan (Christchurch) and G. Smith (Nelson).