Dates set for men’s basketball

Press, 27 June 1983, Page 21

Dates set for men’s basketball

The New Zealand senior men’s basketball team will play Australia at Hutt Valley on Wednesday, August 17, and Monday, August 22, in the first two games of the Olympic Games qualifying series. If a third game is needed to decide a qualifier, it will be held in Auckland on Tuesday, August 30. The dates were confirmed by the executive director of the New Zealand Basketball Federation, Mr Joe McLeod, who said that it had taken several weeks for Australia to finally agree to the pro-

posals. “Australia wanted to play the Olympic Qualifying series before the start of the Commonwealth Games tournament in New Zealand later next month,” he said. “We originally wanted to play the series after the Commonwealth Games, but Australia disagreed.” Matters came to a head . when Australia said it would send only a B team to the Games, preferring to keep its best team in reserve for the qualifying series. “This did not suit either

the Commonwealth Games authorities or the New Zealand Federation,” Mr McLeod said. “Although the draw for the Commonwealth Games has yet to be finalised, Australia and New Zealand have drawn the same section.” The second game of the Commonweatlh sectional play will also be an Olympic Games qualification match. The draw for the Commonwealth Games is expected to be announced soon.