Canty now shares basketball lead

Press, 27 May 1985, Page 3

Canty now shares basketball lead

By

FRANK DUGGAN

The Converse-Canterbury and New Zealand guard, John Rademakers, could not have chosen a more opportune time to return to top form than against Hamilton Supersport in a Countrywide men’s basketball league match at Cowles Stadium yesterday afternoon. While Canterbury for the most part played like a simmering kettle, Rademakers was never off the boil as he scored more than half of the province’s winning total of 88 points to Hamilton’s 81.

Rademakers, aged 26, has seldom played better. His 45 points was only one less than the New Zealand resident record of 46 points held by Stan Hill, formerly of Canterbury and now with DB Metro Auckland; and his nine three-pointers is the most ever shot by a New Zealander in the league. The American Tyronne Brown, of Übix Palmerston, holds the over-all record with 10 three-pointers (another American, Kenny Matthews, of the second division team, Wanganui, recently recorded 72 points in a game against Southland and in the process shot 14 threepointers). Rademaker’s outstanding role played a decisive factor in Canterbury winning both its matches at the week-end. Earlier, on Saturday evening, the Rams defeated Ponsonby 103-97. These two successes now place Canterbury equal first in the league with Bowater Nis-san-Nelson and Auckland. All three teams have won seven out of nine matches.

Success for Canterbury at the week-end was not without concern. Both times Canterbury had to come from behind to win, although yesterday’s match was much more decisive and was by far the better game of the two. Compared with Saturday when he scored only six points, yesterday Rademak-

ers could do little wrong. Not only did he score 45 points, but he was a motivator in both defence and attack and relished the fast break. He put up 31 shots and converted 18, an average of 58 per cent. “A few weeks ago I realised I was averaging only 20 points a game and decided to do something aobut it,” said Rademakers after yesterday’s match. “Every lunch hour over the last three weeks I have been spending at Pioneer Stadium practising shooting. It has paid off today.” It was the bustling of Rademakers, Clyde Huntley, Dave Edmonds, Bert Knops and to a lesser extent John Hill that was the deciding factor in Canterbury’s success. When Hamilton allowed them room to “run and gun,” points were only a few steps away. Hamilton lacked flair, although it was more consistent shooting wise, scoring 35 times from 72 attempts for an average of 48 per cent, 6 per cent better than Canterbury with 36 successes from 85 attempts. Hamilton also out-rebounded Canterbury by 40 to 32, while the best personal shooting average for the day went to Hamilton’s Zack Jones, 60 per cent, which included 15 conversions from the floor and six points from the free-throw line for a total of 36 points. Canterbury had two bad patches, the first in the last five minutes of the first half and the second mid-way through the second half. Both times it was a case of complacency over-ruling commonsense and but for quick changes in personnel by the coach, Darrel Todd, the situation could have got out of hand. After 15 minutes Canterbury led 36-27 and by halftime Hamilton had cut back the margin to four points, 42-38. Canterbury rallied briefly at the start of the second half and then went

on to hold, allowing Hamilton to take the lead 54-53 in the seventh minute. That reverse was enough for Canterbury to get back to playing basketball and in the last eight minutes there was never any doubt of a Canterbury victory. Scores: CONVERSE - CANTERBURY 88 (J. Rademakers 45, C. Huntley 11, D. Edmonds and E. McLeod both 10, J. Hill 9, I. Webb 2, A. Bennett 1). HAMILTON SUPERSPORT 81 (Z. Jones 36, W. Mitchell 16, E. Howard 15, S. Agnew 12, S. Mold 2). Half-time: 42-38 (Canterbury). The referees were Messrs Robin Milligan and Nick Warren, of Christchurch. Week-end men’s first division results: Saturday Hamilton Supersport 78 (Z. Jones 29, T. Smith 19, W. Mitchell 10), Cable Price Centrals 72 (A. Robinson 24, M. Watkins 14, D. Hrstich 13). Converse-Canterbury 103, Ponsonby 97. Bowater Nissan-Nelson 91 (F. Smith 30, B. Wright 18, N. Costley 16), Kennedy Equipment New Plymouth 78 (P. Ryan 26, H. McMath 16, W. Tuki, J. MacDonald 12). Übix Palmerston North 92 (T. Brown 36, W. Burton 26, A. Stenhouse 14), Leopard Criterion Napier 81 (D. Simiral 33, S. Flint 20). Yesterday DB Auckland 61, New Plymouth 60. Canterbury 88, Hamilton 81. Exchequer Saints 89, Napier 77. The points table at the half-

way stage is: W L F A Pt Auckland 7 2 805 695 14 Canterbury 7 2 906843 14 Nelson 7 2 792768 14 Saints 6 3 936 840 12 Palm North 6 3 842836 12 Ponsonby 5 4 846838 10 Hamilton 4 5 802777 8 Centrals 2 7 698811 4 New Plymth 1 8 705773 2 Napier 0 9 726849 0 Earlier Canterbury report page 25