BASKETBALL Runanga Players’ Action

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 July 1946, Page 9

BASKETBALL Runanga Players’ Action

Withdrawal from Coast T earn Claiming, it is understood, that their club had not obtained the representation they considered it deserved in the basketball representative senior team, three Runanga club players withdrew from the West Coast team shortly before it played a Hckitika side at Greymouth on Saturday afternoon.

The three players included the captain of the West Coast team, Miss E. Armstrong, a forward, Mrs. T. Kiely, and an emergency, Miss L. Henderson.

This action means, apparently, that this year’s representative team will contain no players from the leading senior side, Runanga, whereas last year four members of this club held positions in the team. Runanga is by a considerable margin the strongest team in the West Coast Basketball Association’s competition this year and has been champion for several years.

Though tire West Coast team with only two Runanga players actually in the side, was announced early last week. Miss Armstrong and her two club-mates did not notify one of the selectors, Miss Stuart, of their intention to withdraw from the team until Saturday morning, when competition matches" were being played. This left the selectors with little chance of obtaining satisfactory replacements lor the emergencies who filled the positions left vacant by the defaulting members, and the match with Hokitika had to be played in the afternoon without any emergencies for the forwards or defence. Fortunately none of the Coast players was injured. Runanga players in other grade representative teams fulfilled their engagements. Miss Armstrong, when asked this morning to comment on the reasons for her attitude, declined to make a statement, and refused to indicate whether Runanga players would take part in future representative matches.

For Miss Armstrong, Saturday’s match would have marked her tenth year as a representative of the province, and about her sixth year as captain. The attitude of the Basketball Association or the selectors in the matter has not yet been revealed, but no doubt the subject will be discussed at the meeting of the executive next Tuesday evening. Good Centres. The West Coast centres all played well in the match against the Hokitika Association’s team on Saturday. M. Heslop plays a fast, open game and combines well with her other centres. She should take care not to crowd the line but get clear lor a pass into the centre. P. Robinson worked well in her first representative match and her defensive play saved her team many times. With more experience she will do well, but must avoid personal contact. K. Curtis did well to keep up with I. Baird, her speedy Hokitika opposite. She is another newcomer, who will improve with experience.

Defence Patchy. The defence of the West Coast A team was patchy in the match against Hokitika and the visitors had a slight advantage in this respect. M. George, who has been brilliant in club matches, was not at her best, and K. Pollock was not impressive. Both are capable of much better performances. A. Newton, although lacking in height, fully deserved her place "in the team and made some good saves. If she improves her passing she will continue, to do