University women take championship

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 24

University women take championship

By

BRUCE MARTIN

University carried off its first women’s division one club basketball championship by beating the defending champion, Aranui, 54-51, in an action-packed play-off game in Cowles Stadium on Saturday afternoon. University forced a play-off after it upset Aranui, 54-44 two weeks ago. Aranui had also surprisingly lost its top four encounter to Halswell after going through the first round of the championship unbeaten. The victory gave University its third title for the season, a tribute to sound coaching and good teamwork and consistency. The University team, which was formed in 1987, and returned to the A grade last year, won the Easter title with a strong showing this year. After several upsets, Aranui, University and Halswell shared the Patrons Trophy for the opening round of the season with each team dropping one game. University, which had three key members missing on Saturday, has now beaten Aranui in four out of five clashes this year.

Halswell finished third and Checkers fourth in the champinshlp. Scoring details.— University 54 (C. Patterson 17, J. Harris 13, D. Lintsen 10, T. Lockington 6, S. Francis 4, A. Campbell 4).

Aranui 51 (W. Lester 15, D. Knops 14, V. Cowley 11, T. Beukenholdt 5, L. Richardson 2, P. Barry 2, A. Webley 2.)

Half-time: Aranui 29-28. Referees: John Grocott and Paul Hadley. On Saturday University showed better teamwork and determination from the outset while Aranui showed its traditional patem of slow starting. Aranui’s coach, Brent Cummack, had relived the nightmare of two successive losses many times, but felt his team was ready and able to take its sixth championship in seven seasons.

Di Knops sent Aranui’s spirits soaring, scoring with end to end runs and making several other strong drives. University then tightened its defence and forced Aranui to shoot a lot from the outside. After some early success, Aranui’s accuracy waned. In a very tight first half, the lead changed hands seven times and was level on four occasions.

Some sharp shooting by Vicki Cowley gave Aranui a slender 19-15 lead in the fourteenth minute but Justine Harris slipped inside to net twice for University to level 21-21. By half-time, Aranui was in front again, 29-28. After the break, the lead changed hands three times in as many minutes before Wendy Lester and Knops led a strong Aranui onslaught,

Aranui showed more urgency about its play, passed more quickly, and by the ninth minute, had a 46-41 lead. The hard working University player, Trish Lockington, re-entered the fray, scored a vital basket but became a valuable link player, feeding a lot of ball to the dangerous Charlotte Patterson. University scored nine unanswered points in six minutes to lead, 50-46, while Knops rested with a dislocated finger. Knops arrested University’s dominance when she returned in the fifteenth minute, scoring after another long drive but University maintained the pressure to force many errors in Aranui’s play. University stole the ball frequently. University then shot four otu of six from the free throw line to take a vital 54-48 lead with two minutes remaining. Cowley, Lester and Andrea Webley all missed key attempts for Aranui under considerable pressure. University then played out time for a well deserved victory.

Patterson was the architect of University’s teamwork. She led the scoring with 17 points, Harris rebounded strongly to collect 13 while Diana Lintsen (10) also was a tower of strength. Lester 15, Knops 13 and Cowley 11 were Aranui’s main contributors.

Lower grade results. —

Men Division two B: Aranui 71, Hawks A 69. Final placings: Aranui D 22, Hawks A 22, Equal 1; Orients A 20, 3. Division four: Seekers 59, Checkers C 54; Burnside B 73, Taxes B 46; Orients B 40, Media 35. Final placings: Seekers 32, 1; Checkers 22, 2; Burnside 20, 3; Taxes B 16, Orients B 16, equal 4. Division four five crossovers: Blues 2, Puawai 0; Celtics D 60, Chch Deaf B 25; Chch Deaf A 86, Hawks B 36; Hawks C 56, Mt Herbert 33; Orient Oldies 54, Chch Deaf C. 20. ' Division five: final placings: Blues 28, 1; Hawkes C 26, 2; Hawks B 16, 3. Women Division four: Aranui C 42, Celtic Presidents 20; Aranui D 43, Seekers 34; Minties 31, Blues 45, Minties B 31; Halswell C 35, Albion 19; Checkers C 30, D.S.W. 9; Air N.Z. 54, Lincoln College 42; Hawks 36, Butlers 26. Final placings: Aranui C 28, 1; Celtic Pres. 26, 2; Aranui D 26, 3; Seekers 20, 4. Division five: Orients 23, Donnells 19; Rebels 28, Hertz 17; Roads 15, T.O.G. 10. Final placings: Donnells 24, 1; Orients 22, 2; Hertz 20, 3. Division six: Halswell D 12, Shirley 10; National Mutual 26, Taxes 12; Chch Deaf 29, Daltons 26. Final placings: Shirley 26, Halswell D 26, equal 1; National Mutual 18, 3.