Rainbird scores 18 points, wins award

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 24

Rainbird scores 18 points, wins award

PA Wellington Mark Rainbird, aged 21, a reserve forward for Canterbury in the national league, picked up a most-valuable-player award and a second championship trophy as Canterbury won the national under-23 basketball tournament in Wellington yesterday. Rainbird scored 18 points as Canterbury beat Hutt Valley 69-63 in the final. Rainbird was a member of the Canterbury senior team which, under national coach, Keith Mair, won the national league title in Auckland this year. . '■ He was also a member of the Canterbury team which, with Mr Mair’s guidance, won the under 23 tournament at Newtown Stadium last season. Hutt Valley led at halftime, 34-33, but Canterbury . rocked a team heavily salted with national league players

with two bursts of scoring in the second half. Hutt led through the third quarter but mostly by only one point then Canterbury hit the front 49-47 with a Ralph Lattimore three-pointer 10 minutes from the end. Canterbury outscored Hutt 13-2 in the next smin to lead 62-49 and to open a margin the home side had little hope of erasing. Rainbird stood out clearly as the player of the match but he was helped by a guard, Dean Ruske (10) and Deiderik van Heyningen and Adrian Heiford. The Bert Knops-coached Canterbury team was unbeaten in four matches. Canterbury scored 338 points (241 against) for a game average of close to 84 points. Rainbird, who also top scored (19) in Canterbury’s successful semi-final match against Nelson on Saturday evening — Canterbury won

78-59 — scored 59 points at the tournament. Otago, New Plymouth and Auckland were late withdrawals which restricted the teams to four games each. Results: Semi-finals: Canterbury 78 (M. Rainbird 19, D. van Heyningen 11, A. Heiford 11 and R. Lattimore 11, D. Ruske 10) beat Nelson 59 (N. Winters 10). Half-time: 39-21 (Canterbury). Hutt Valley 68 (J. Kahukiwa 18, C. Tupu (12) beat Porirua 60 (W. Ngatai 27, F. Mikaio 10, E. Solomon 10). Half-time: 31-24 (Hutt Valley). - Play-off for third and fourth: Nelson 70 (J. Campion 26, Winters 17) beat Porirua 59 (N. Baker 20, Mikaio 17). Final: Canterbury 69 (Rainbird 18, Heiford and M. Lines 12, Ruske 10) beat Hutt Valley 63 (T. Taufale 15, Tupu 12, Smith 12). Halftime: 33-34 (Hutt Valley).