Canterbury beats Otago, 69-60

Press, 2 May 1988, Page 25

Canterbury beats Otago, 69-60

Controlled teamwork paved the way for the Canterbury women’s division one national league basketball side’s 69-60 win over its arch rival, Otago, in a return warm-up match at Cowles Stadium on Saturday. The match was played as a curtain-raiser to the Countrywide men’s national league match.

Otago won the first encounter by one point without any overseas import in either

side. It has since picked up Annette Jones, an American, aged 22, a utility player from Alabama.

Jones scored an impressive 26 points to lead a late run at Canterbury. She played much in the style of Canterbury’s first import, Edith Duffey, snapping quickly at her three-point attempts and making long, loping strides as she advanced the ball. Canterbury’s new import, a

Canadian, Sheri Sturmey, aged 23, who arrived last week, lacks a little match fitness after a two-month break, but impressed the Canterbury coach, Bill Whelan her contribution. She picked up 11 vital rebounds, contributed 10 points, and generally supported well. Canterbury used its tall inside players to great effect with Brenda Atchison, Yvonne Crichton-Hill and Sue

Bennie, all reaching double figures, while its guards, Shona Salomen, Mandy Col.lins and Raylene Forde, all hustled quickly on defence. Canterbury led, 16-8, after eight minutes, 31-17, in the fifteenth minute, and was well in control, 42-21, by halftime.

Jones blazed away in the second half for Otago but Canterbury remained in control, leading 59-34 after nine

minutes before complacency set in. Scoring details were: Canterbury 69: B. Atchison 13, Y. Crichton-Hill 13, S. Bennie 12, S. Sturmey 10, S. Salomen 6, M. Collins 5, W. Lester 4, S. Bennett 4, R. Forde 2. Otago 60: A. Jones 26, K. Jerran 13, T. Garland 11, H. Fleming 8, D. Solomon 2. Referees: Barry Dent and Russell Berry.