Tenacious Canty narrowly beaten in match of skill

Press, 3 April 1989, Page 25

Tenacious Canty narrowly beaten in match of skill

From FRANK DUGGAN, in Wellington The final scoreboard at Madgwick Stadium in Wellington at 9.45 on Saturday evening may have read Saints 83, Canterbury 80, but the real winner was basketball. The Rams picked themselves off the floor so many times they would have had a yo-yo champion eating string and all in frustration.

The Countrywide National men’s league match, before another packed house, was in complete contrast to previous Canterbury-Saints clashes. While it may have lacked the usual spectacular rip, shoot or bust which has become synonymous with the two teams over the years, it had the purists in mental ecstasy as the game recalled all the good points of the basketball textbooks.

It proved an absorbing contest, and with skill replacing brawn it was something more akin to a chess match. Countless variations of moves were tried, most failing because the opponent parried with greater ability. When the threat was thwarted, the counter-attacks were usually wide-sweeping, involving probing runs, deft passing and split-second decisions to find a passage to the basket. Saints have always had a deep respect for Canterbury and made no secret of the fact during Saturday’s match. They expected a.tough, close match, although the general feeling was that the 1987-1988 league champions would have too much match fitness and bench strength. Saints had the support of a volatile and somewhat biased Wellington crowd (at the most there would have been about 20 Canterbury supporters among 2000 or more spectators). However, few had reckoned on Canterbury’s bloodymindedness and but for two lapses, the first between the ninth and thirteenth minutes of the first half and the other in the third quarter of the second spell, the Saints’ signature tune could well have struck a sour note and ended with the lyrics

reversed to "marching out” instead of "in.”

In both cases the lapses were costly. Canterbury’s cause was further frustrated by some stupid passing, frequent turnovers in the first half and a sorrowful record from the free-throw line. But for these flaws Canterbury would have won, and comfortably into the bargain. Still, to lose by only three points was an achievement in itself and a morale booster for both the team and its new coach, Keith Mair, at a time when it needs confidence after an indifferent 1988. Obviously, Mr Mair sees the way to success in 1989 through change, and if Saturday evening’s performance is any indication the "new look” Canterbury side should start harbouring fond thoughts of a spot in the finals in midAugust. Against Saints there were flashes of the old Canterbury; quick breaking after a successful rebound and attempted shots from the extremes. However, they were few and far between and for the most part Mr Mair had it sticking religiously to a pace and style removed from anything of the past. It almost, and should have, worked. Canterbury dictated the pace of the match and this unsettled Saints. Much as they tried, Saints could only manage the fast break at odd times and the frustrating “new” Canterbury pattern creased Saints eyebrows in the last quarter, none more so than those of the coach, Craig Furlong, who has returned to the top job after two years serving with the Army in Singapore. "It’s a bit of a change being dictated to,” said Mr Furlong after the match.

“It was played so slow and our defenders did not help the cause by lapses in concentration,” he said. “Instead of the defence keeping going for 30 seconds on a play, it would pull, out after 25 seconds and allow Canterbury a soft shot.

“At least that one is over and proves a Wellington

adage that if Saints can be kept to below 90 points in a match, their opponent has got a good chance.

“It’s one of the lowestpoints games Saints have been involved in and tells a lot about the great defence of both teams. It was just what we needed before going to Sydney for the champion-of-champions series starting on Wednesday.” Saints are hoping for a better record than last year at a similar tournament when they failed to win a match against some of Australia’s leading league teams.

“Saints needed that shakeup from Canterbury to put them on the right path again,” said Mr Furlong. And it was not only Canterbury which brought Saints down to earth. Mr Furlong had plenty to say at half-time and it was far from complimentary. "I was angry and told them that a defeat here would make them look absolute fools,” he said. The players got the message, but Canterbury must have read their minds as it continued pressuring for most of the secohd half.

Three points was the difference at half-time and also at the end, figures that somewhat flattered the winners who, surprisingly, appeared to physically wilt in the last quarter while Canterbury gathered momentum.

Mr Mair said later he felt a bit flat after the narrow loss.

"We did enough to place ourselves in a position to win, but we just failed to put the ball in the hole,” he said. “The defence did a good job. We did attempt to control the tempo of the game and stop Saints from free-wheeling.” Canterbury went a long way to accomplishing this and looked equally as good in the last five minutes when it put on a zone press. However, turnovers were a matter of concern. "We turned over as many against Saints, 20 (10 in each half) as we did the previous week-end in six matches at North Shore,” said Mr Mair.

Personal battles were an-

other feature. Whether it was Glen Denham against Kerry Boagni, Kenneth Perkins versus Neil Stephens, John Hill and Gilbert Gordon, Clyde Huntley and Kenny McFadden, or John Rademakers and Frank Mulvihill (who has shorn his long locks of previous seasons for a more conservative hair style), the competitiveness between each opposing pair was as interesting as the scoreline.

The Denham and Boagni duel was the best. Denham had the edge until he was rested after his third foul in nine minutes and helped keep the usual high-scoring “Jazzman” down to a firsthalf six points. Given more room in the second half, Boagni ended up with a game high of 29 points, while Denham top-scored for Canterbury with 17 points. Both players were outstanding and the honours were shared.

Perkins did a magnificent “job” on Saints’ latest star, Neil Stephens, back home after five years in the United States and West Germany. He outbounded Stephens in the first half, only to lapse into a quiet period in the first 10 minutes of the second spell. Rested, he resumed his attentions, but by this time Stephens had racked up a lot of points and finished with 24 and the man-of-the-match award.

Hill had the edge over a former New Zealand and Canterbury centre, Gordon. He shot well from inside for 15 points — one more than Perkins — only to have his performance tarnished by an indifferent showing from the free-throw line. He missed 11 out of 12 attempts. Huntley and McFadden have this season adopted different roles. They now give the orders, set up the plays and have reduced their shooting activities to a minimum. McFadden managed 14 points on the breakaways and Huntley scored eight in performances of depth. Two younger Canterbury players, Lattimore and Timms, came out of the

match with distinction. Lattimore busied himself in every area of the court and Timms had a brief but impressionable short period late in the first half before sitting out the second half still recovering from two recent knee operations.

Canterbury led only once and that was in the first few seconds of the match. After eight minutes the score was tied at 13-13, the result of a couple of fast breaks from both teams. Just before the score was 15-15 in the ninth minute, Canterbury’s hopes took a tumble when Glen Denham was rested after his third foul.

The position deteriorated further with Canterbury on team fouls in the twelfth minute, and it was only some brave and intelligent play from some of the “lesser” lights, Lattimore and Timms, which had Saints ahead by only three points, 39-36, at the interval.

Canterbury kept plugging away in the second half to go, into the third quarter trailing 55-62. Then somebody pushed the stop button and Canterbury went behind by 13 points with six minutes remaining. The last five minutes spoke wonders for Canterbury’s tenacity as. it climbed to within four points (77-81) with two minutes left. The sigh of relief from a rapidly tiring Saints team almost matched the muted Wellington applause at the end of the match. Scores:

SAINTS 83: Kerry Boagni 29, Neil Stephens 24, Kenny McFadden 14, Dave Mason 6, Gilbert Gordon and Frank MulvihilLbeth 4, Rick Wineera 2. CANTERBURY 80: Glen Denham 17, John Hill 15, Kenny Perkins 14, lan Webb 9, Clyde Huntley 8, Ralph Lattimore 7, Andy Bennett 4, Terry Brunel, John Rademakers and Graham Timms each 2.

Half-time: 39-36 (Saints).

The referees were Messrs Stan Battock and Sean Cronin.