Postive attitude needed

Press, 24 May 1985, Page 19

Postive attitude needed

By

FRANK DUGGAN

Converse - Canterbury must approach its two Countrywide men’s basketball league matches this week-end with a positive attitude.

It faces an exhausting two days. Tomorrow evening at Cowles Stadium, Canterbury will play Ponsonby or, more correctly, Ronnie Joyner, and then on Sunday afternoon, Hamilton Supersport. Canterbury should win both games,' but a big “if’ hovers over the results. It all comes down to a positive attitude and, unfortunately, Canterbury is not one of the best teams in this department. Individually, it is the equal, if not better, than most league teams, but has often forgotten its main purpose, that of team-work. Only once this season has Canterbury played as a team. That was against the joint league leader, DB

Auckland (Bowater Nissan Nelson shares the top spot), in Christchurch a few weeks ago. Canterbury knew it was the underdog and, after a hesitant start, ground its way to success. Obviously Canterbury basketball supporters expected such a performance for they turned out in droves and many were disappointed when the doors closed at 8.5 p.m.

Since then, Canterbury has been on hold and the coach, Darrel Todd, is not that pleased with recent efforts. He wants a consistency of performance; perhaps it would be better if he demanded it.

A positive attitude is needed in this week-end’s double-header. Canterbury has reached the half-way stage of the league competition poised to go close to, if

not share, the lead and, eventually, gain a place in the semi-finals at Wellington. With a game in hand, Canterbury shares third position with Exchequer Saints (Wellington), Ponsonby and Palmerston North, two points away from Auckland and Nelson.

This week-end would be an ideal time for the two American importations, Clyde Huntley and Eddie McLeod, to lead by example. Up until now they have been slightly disappointing, mainly because of injury. Bert Knops is the outstanding player in the squad.

Age may have dulled Knops’ accuracy in the keyhole, but he still retains his ability to read a game better than most and is

invaluable. He should do a good job with Ponsonby’s Joyner, who is at present averaging more than 50 points a game. Joyner, who, incidentally, wanted to come to Canterbury, has a weak side and has an aversion to probing guards, the likes of Huntley and John Rademakers. Rademakers has also had leg problems, but even at halfspeed, is still the best New Zealand resident guard. Canterbury has played Ponsonby eight times since 1981, winning four and losing four. The match result is also tied against Hamilton, Canterbury winning three and losing three. Predictions:

Tomorrow: Canterbury to beat Ponsonby by two points.

Sunday: Canterbury 104, Hamilton 98.

The Canterbury women’s basketball team will need to

win both its away matches against Nelson and Wellington this week-end to retain a leading place in the Toshiba national women’s league. Both Southland and Otago had solid double-header wins last week-end over Porirua and Palmerston North, putting pressure on the young Canterbury side. This left Otago leading the southern division of the league on 10 points from six games and Southland and Wellington with eight points from five games.

Canterbury and Nelson share fourth place with two wins apiece making it necessary for Canterbury to win both fixtures this weekend, especially the game against Nelson as only four teams from the southern section qualify for crossover matches against four northern section teams in the next phase of the league.