Canty shares lead in men’s basketball

Press, 29 June 1987, Page 24

Canty shares lead in men’s basketball

By FRANK DUGGAN - Canterbury’s 96-87 defeat of Auckland at the Auckland Y.M.C.A. Stadium on Saturday evening has lifted it to first equal in the Countrywide national men’s basketball league competition. • Canterbury shares the lead with another Auckland team, North Shore, which defeated .Waikato 101-97. Both Canterbury and North Shore have 18 points, two more than New Plymouth, Auckland and Saints (Wellington), who share third spot. Ponsonby is ,two points further away on 14 joints. • Nelson trails the 10-team Competition with only one win from 12 matches. .Palmerston North defeated Nelson on Saturday evening ;i 10-90, although it is under,’stood Nelson has appealed ■the result, again because 'Palmerston North played Tyrone Brown. The previous week-end Canterbury won its 'dash against Palmerston ‘North on appeal because of "the same problem.

"We didn’t play as well as we can,” said the Canterbury coach, Gary Pettis, after the match.

"We could not get our act together, particularly on the fast break. We failed to get a tempo going and did not run as freely as in some other matches, particularly against Saints,” he said.

. Basically, it was a case of

Canterbury grinding Auckland down, particularly in the last three minutes. “Auckland looked tired and it was our discipline and some vital rebounds that gave us the success,” said Mr Pettis.

It was a good, close game, according to the coach. Canterbury's slender one-point half-time lead, 51-50, was the result of a good second quarter after Auckland led by six points soon after the start. In the first half Canterbury averaged 44 per cent in shooting from the floor, but this dropped to 37 per cent in the second spell. It was in this period that Auckland got ahead by a couple of points. Canterbury kept plugging away and when Auckland started to wilt in the last three minutes Canterbury picked up sufficient points to give it a good win and atone for having lost to its rivals in the first round.

Mr Pettis was particularly pleased with the defensive work and rebounding of Andy Bennett and John Hill.

“They did a good job, as did the others,” he said. The captain, Clyde Huntley, top scored with 25 points, followed by John Rademakers and Angelo Hill (both 20), Bennett (14), lan Webb (II), John Hill (4), and Bert Knops (1). Angelo Hill was the top rebounder with 13, then John

Hill (8), Bennett (5), Webb (3), ’ Rademakers (2), and Huntley (1). Saints 95 (K. Boagni 34, K. McFadden 29, J. Saker 14) beat Hawke’s Bay 86 (W. Burton 31, J. Maere 22, E. Clarke 14). Half-time: 42-45 (Hawke’s Bay). North Shore 101 (T. Webster 26, D. Wright 21, T. Smith 17, M. Graham 15) beat Waikato 97 (G. Denham 31, L. Jackson 28, R. Scholes 22).

New Plymouth 92 (J. Tuz 49, J. Macdonald 20, R. Adams 9) beat Ponsonby 87 (R. Joyner 20, B. Anthony 18, W. Meehl 15). Palmerston North 110 (Tony Brown 40, Tyrone Brown 22, P. Barnett 15) beat Nelson 90 (F. Smith 24, C. Cooper 20, C. Simpson 17). Half-time: 50-44 (Palmerston North).

Canterbury 96 (C. Huntley 25, J. Rademakers 20, A. Hill 19) beat Auckland 87 (A. Ovens 20, K. Colbert 19, B. Vaetoe 18). Half-time: 51-50 (Canterbury). Standings:

W L D F A Pt Canty 12 9 3 1156 1034 18 Nth Shore 12 9 3 1270 1194 18 New Ply 11 8 3 1064 944 16 Auck 13 8 5 1227 1216 16 Saints 12 8 4 1176 1159 16 Ponsonby 12 7 5 1225 1189 14 Hawke's B 12 6 6 1004 1016 12 Waikato 12 2 10 1034 1163 4 Palm Nth 12 2 10 10421150 4 Nelson 12 1 11 1036 1169 2