Checkers crushes Rangiora

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 32

Checkers crushes Rangiora

A concentrated secondhalf team effort enabled Admiral Lodge Checkers to crush Continental Caterers Rangiora, 68-44, in a deferred women’s divisionone basketball game at Pioneer Stadium on SaturaHalswell (14 points) and the Patron’s Trophy winner, Aranui (12 points), are now well established at the top of the championship section of the competition followed by Checkers and Mairehau both on eight points. Checkers, in particular, looks capable of upsetting the balance of power in the final round robin, while Mairehau and Rangiora must never be under-rated. The next three Tuesday evenings will be used, making up for several Saturdays lost at Cowles Stadium.

At present, the final round is scheduled for September 7, but it is now expected that three sides (Aranui, Checkers and Halswell), selected to contest the National Women’s Club championship, will apply for deferred games on September 7, forcing the postponement of the final round. Placings.—

Rebels 7 0 7 280 499 0 Checkers 68, Rangiora 44 Rangiora started strongly, very keen to upset Checkers. It led 12-7 after eight minutes helped by good build-up work. Jenny Harris used her height to advantage, picking up three valuable baskets.

Shortly after, Checkers piled on the pressure, levelling 12-all in the thirteenth minute and quickly racing to a 20-12 lead four minutes later. Checkers led, 26-22, by half-time.

Rangiora had no answer to the full court pressure applied by Checkers in the second spell with Checkers piling on seven baskets in five minutes to just a solitary Rangiora effort. Rangiora lost its hard working captain and mainstay, Mary-Jane Moody, in the fourteenth minute on five fouls. When Leona Stanicich, who had been playing her best game of the season, followed four minutes later, Rangiora’s effort came to a standstill. Gillian Westenra and Diane Woodhouse were the architects of Checkers’ solid win. Westenra, in particular, rebounded strongly and hunted the loose ball relentlessly. Two league players, Connie Erb and Megan Cassidy, were sound in their midcourt play but lacked penetration around the boards. Sonya Akkerman proved strong on defence while Jackie Cook and Sharon Constable set up much of the play for Checkers. In preparation for its tilt at the Women’s Club Championships, the Checkers coach, Eddie McLeod, used his full bench, enabling many different combinations to be tried.

Rangiora’s sharp shooting Sandra Blackadder was easily contained with most of the Checkers defence more than 30cm taller than her. Harris finished with a valuable 14 points while Diane Dixon boldly endeavoured to stem the Checkers onslaught with some enterprising play of her own. Scoring details: Checkers 68 (G. Westenra 17 D. Woodhouse 14, S. Akkerman 9, B Carr 9, J. Cook 6, S. Constable 5, C. Erb 3, M. Cassidy 2, B. Powers 2). Rangiora 44 (J. Harris 14, S. Blackadder 10, L. Stanicich 8, D. Dixon 6, P. Rollinson 3, R. King 3.). The Haralds-University basketball team comfortably defeated the Christchurch Taxes side 70-52 in a men’s division two A game. The University team is undefeated in the competition this season while five of the other six teams ended up tied at the end of the second round. Taxes, Aranui and Y.M.C.A. moved into the top four crossover on count back while H. 5.0.8. B and Checkers joined Burnside in the bottom section.

University also recently won the annual Mazda Invitational tournament at Greymouth beating St Kilda of Dunedin, 60-42, in the semi-final and Mid-Canter-bury 75-45 in the final. Lower-grade basketball results were:— Men.—Division two A Aranui 75, Y.M.C.A. 61; H. 5.0.8. 62, Checkers 51; University 70, Taxes 52. Division two B Hotshots 42, University 39; Rangiora 87, Burnham 65; H.5.0.8.C. 66, Teachers Coll 64; Steiness 71, Y.M.C.A. 68.

Division three: St Albans 77, H. 5.0.8. 56; Tip Top 56, Acme 44; Wigram 42, Burnside 39; Aranui 87, Taxes 30. Division four: Burnside 28, Media 24; Seekers 51, Rangiora 28; Deaf Club 39, East Coast 35; Hagley 36, Dukes 14.

Division five: Toe H 35, Comets 27; Mt Herbert 37, Sunnyside 34; Mairehau 33, Trust Hornby 21; Kereru 26, Air NZ 22.

Final placings: Trust Hornby 26 1; Mairehau 24, 2; Kereru 20 3; Air NZ 16 4.

Under-20 Boys: Checkers 77, Aranui 74; Christ’s College 69, St Bede’s 59; Checkers 65, Shirley 55.

Women.—Division two A: Burnside 30, Hotshots 28; Checkers 51, Y.M.C.A. 34; Halswell 54, Aranui 30. Division two B: Rangiora 44, United 16; Halswell 77, Dukes 33; Mairehau High School 51, Rangi Ruru 32.

Division three: Hotshots 38, Halswell 17; Brighton 46, Burnham 38; Rangiora 47, Checkers 28. Division four: Taxes 19, Railway 13; Brighton 23, Smugglers 19; Seekers 30, Mairehau 12; Albion 17, Rebels 13.

Division five: Brighton 22, Teachers 16; Hutchinson Motors 20, Trust Hornby 19; T.O.G. 20, D.S.W. 17. Division six: Air NZ 26, Comets 21; Hagley 54, Polytechnic B 10; Hotshots 31, United 12; Toads 20, Daniels 17; Seekers 31, Taxes 4; Halswell 14, Deaf Club 10.

P W L F A Pt Baisweil 7 7 0 382 278 14 Aranui 7 6 1 438 267 12 Checkers 7 4 3 410 382 8 Mairehau 7 4 3 372 326 8 Rangiora 7 2 5 312 370 4 Burnham 6 1 5 262 334 2