Secrecy surrounds basketball lineup

Press, 18 May 1984, Page 26

Secrecy surrounds basketball lineup

FRANK DUGGAN

By

The composition of the DB Metro-Auckland men’s Countrywide league basketball team to play 3ZM Canterbury at Cowles Stadium tomorrow evening is a mystery to everyone but its coach, Steve McKean, and he is not telling anyone. Mr McKean has sidestepped repeated requests this week to name his team and even up until last evening he would give no idea of his 10-member squad. The former New Zealand senior men’s coach is no stranger to delaying tactics, only this time he has thwarted the Canterbury Basketball Association’s attempt to finalist its programme and

advance publicity. Even Mr McKean was reluctant to tell the association of his team’s accommodation arrangements in Christchurch. The only reason for Mr McKean’s delaying tactics is that he must be having trouble putting together a squad of full strength and he is probably waiting until the last minute before announcing his team. Metro comes to Christchurch as the reigning champions, but have had an indifferent start this season, having won only one of three games. Still with players like Benny Anthony, the top scorer in the league, and another American,

Dave Trost, to head an active New Zealand-born bench, Metro could well repeat its success of 1982 when upsetting a previously unbeaten Canterbury and ; then finishing top of the i league. The Canterbury captain [ and assistant coach, Clyde ■ Huntley, has been nursing a i knee injury for most of the i week, but expects to be fit tomorrow. Canterbury's motivator ; and top scorer in an i unbeaten three-game win- , ning league streak this f season, Huntley wrenched i his right knee last week and , was a virtual passenger , when leading Admiral , Lodge-Checkers in last Sat-

urday’s opening club championship game. “It blew up like a balloon,” said Huntley, “But it is improving from having a week off serious training.” The Canterbury squad is unchanged and includes Huntley, John Hill, John Rademakers, Bert Knops, Chris Dobbs, lan Webb, Dave Usmar, Andy Bennett, Lance Dixon, Dave Edmonds and the two nontravelling players, Korry Ritsma and Paul Hobbs.

Ten of the following 12 Metro players are likely to make the trip south: Benny Anthony, Paul Barrett, Gordon Reardon, Fred Williams, Warwick Meehl, Davi| Neutz, Kim Harvey,

Allan Ovens, John Burgess, Geoff Anderson, David Trost, and Craig Cruishank. © A more disciplined performance will be needed from the Canterbury women’s basketball team in its Hertz national league match against the lowly Hutt Valley tomorrow evening. Canterbury has had trouble settling down in its games and was well beaten by Nelson last week-end. But it should beat Hutt Valley, which has lost its first three matches.

to add to Hutt Valley’s woes, it will be without one of its main steadying influences, Allison Wright, a former Canterbury plijyer.

Hutt Valley has only five regular players from last season, including the hardworking centre, Karen Domican, who is the team’s leading rebounder. She will have the assistance of a guard, Maria Kaa, a forward, Donna Paea, and the utility, Sharon Phillips. A former New Zealand representative, Adrianna Beukenholdt, is expected to return to the Canterbury team after being out through injury. Her presence, along with Sue Lines, Megan Stokes, Di Woodhouse and Di Martin, should give Canterbury more control and the edge over Hutt Valley.