Crucial basketball game for women

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 42

Crucial basketball game for women

The Canterbury women’s basketball team cannot afford to lose it’s concentration when it meets the unpredictable New Plymouth team in Cowles Stadium on Saturday evening. Fortunately for Canterbury, the Basketball Institute team, which shares second place with it in the National league, also surprisingly dropped its game against Southland, 5355, last week-end, just as Canterbury did the previous month. Last week Canterbury opened the second round with a convincing 51-38 away win against Wellington while New Plymouth overwhelmed Palmerston North, 85-56. New Plymouth, which lies in fourth place, four points adrift, was beaten by Canterbury, 63-50 in the opening encounter. Even though Canterbury has the home court advantage, it will need to play in peak form to ensure it stays on target to win the second finals berth. . • New Plymouth’s key player is its American, Karen Skemp (IGjppoints from nine games)

while Sharon L’Ami, a national trialist, and the former Canterbury player, Leonie Erb, have also been featuring. Four Canterbury players featuring on the top 25 scorers chart are Sonja Akkerman, 98 from eight matches, Edith Duffey, 83 from eight, Rhonda Milner, 88 from nine, and Sue Bennett 84 from nine. Akkerman (47) and Milner (45) also feature on the top rebounders table, while Duffey and Milner are high on the three pointer table. Milner’s other statistics show 30 steals and 12 assists, a valuable indictation to the value of her contribution to Canterbury’s efforts. Duffey, an American import, has been playing more of a key role in recent matches. Akkerman has also pleased the Canterbury coach, Russell Berry, recently, rebounding stronger and working hard at both ends of the court. Akkerman, Milner .and Bennett attended national trials over Queen’s

week-end. The key player, Sue Bennie, has been troubled by another ankle injury, forcing the call up of the former league player, Di Knops, last week, while young Trina Whittaker broke a wrist at training. Connie Erb has also withdrawn from the team. The teams are: Canterbury: S. Bennett, S. Garden, R. Milner, S. Akkerman, B. Jones, E. Duffey, D. Woodhouse (captain), D. Walker, M. Collins, B. Carr, D. Knops. Coach, Russell Berry. New Plymouth: K. Skemp, L. Erb, S. L’Ami, D. Glentworth, J. Russell, J. Clark, L. O’Rorke, M. Arts, M. Kennard. New coach, Craig Hart-ley-Smith. Points table after week 12, is:

P W L F A Pts Auckland 9 9 0 714 459 18 Canty 9 7 2 556 476 14 NZBI 10 7 3 638 595 14 New Ply. 9 5 4 538 511 10 Waikato 9 4 5 522 498 8 Otago 9 3 6 604 657 6 Wgtn 9 3 6 438 502 6 Sthland 9 3 6 527 608 6 Palm. N. 9 0 9 460 691 0