BASKET BALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22058, 14 September 1933, Page 4

BASKET BALL

By Watch. The closing round of the competition matches was played last Saturday, and there remains now only the annual junior tournament to mark the close of the season. There has been very keen competition shown among teams in the various grades, and on the whole the standard of play has been higher than that shown last year. The results of the representative matches were disappointing in that none of the teams played on ( thentrue form. In the First and Second Grade especially, with the good material chosen, much had been expected. It is hoped that the experience gained this year will help to give just that final touch which often means the winning or losing of a representative match. Next year the New Zealand tournament will be played in Dunedin, and it is hoped that the Otago team will take full advantage of playing on a home court, and again win the coveted trophy for Otago. CUP WINNERS

In the First Grade there were two very outstanding teams —Ex Girls I and Albany I —and it was realised early in the season that the cup must go to the winners of the match played between these two. Ex Girls proved the superior team, and well deserved their win, playing an excellent game throughout the season. The Albany girls also played very good basket ball, but they did not continue to improve their standard as the season advanced to such a high degree as did the winners. . After a very keen competition, in which the four top Second Grade teams made the picking of the winners very uncertain, the cup goes to the Caversham team. This team is- a very strong one,, with a clever trio in the forward third. Last Saturday the team put up another win against Ex-Normal by 21 —12. The next three teams, Blue Triangle, Albany, and Roslyn, follow very closely behind. The Blue Triangle team has been a very enthusiastic one, and well deserves its place on the list. In the recent evening tournament this team played very well to reach the final, where for some time it managed to hold itg own against its opponents, a First Grade team. Thanks to the untiring efforts of the coach, Miss May Farquharson, many of these players show good promise for a possible First Grade team next year. The Albany team is another very good Second Grade team, and but for an unfortunate circumstances causing a change in the personnel might have found a place higher on the list. Albany had an easy victory on Saturday against First by ]5 —7. Roslyn also shows good promise foW next season. A clever trio in defence has saved many times at critical moments, but for the past few seeks the vigour and enthusiasm displayed at the opening of the season has been lacking. At the evening tournament held last week this team reached the semi-fibal, where it met Blue Triangle. After p. very even match, the game ended in a draw, and on resumption of play to decide the winners Triangle scored the first. , goal. _ Last Saturday these two teams met in the last round of the competition, and after a very exciting game Roslyn won by 13 —12. Much of the credit, must go to Roslyn defenders, who made full use of their height, and many times turned defence into attack and sent the ball down to their forwards, where Miss Knowles was outstanding. Next on the list comes University, a team made up of some very good individual material, but some* what lacking in team combination, inen follows Athletic, who had a win on Saturday against Rawhiti 14 —6. and Ex-Nor-mal, Rawhiti, Maori Hill, First, and Tinopai. , „ , , In the Third Grade Musselburgh has played consistently all the season, and deserves its position as premier team. North-East Valley has-been another good team, and it is followed by Woolworths. Blue Triangle, Central, and University have all shown patches of good form, but have not been consistent enough to be prize winners. The Fourth Grade has been a very interesting section in which it has been difficult to pick the winners. . The Fourth Grade cup goes to. Normal I. This team has shown good promise all the season, and has played a fine type of basket ball. Among the teams following very closely behind are D.1.C., Roslyn, and Blue Triangle. D.I.C. and Blue Triangle met last Saturday, when a very even game was played,' the final result being a - draw — 11 all. Roslyn played a hard-fought game against the cup winners, the score being 17 —11 in favour of Normal. Blue Bird showed good form again to defeat Wesley by 16 —8. There is some excellent material in the Blue Bird team, the players indulging in a fine type of basket ball. More should be heard of these young players next year. Tinopai had an easy victory on Saturday, defeating Central 13 5, while Rawhiti accounted for Gipsy 11—7. Musselburgh put up a good score against Normal 11, winning, the match by 21 —8. In the Fifth Grade the cup goes to Maori Hill. For some time this team was running in third place, but latterly has established a lead over Blue Triangle and Caversham. Their score last Saturday against Wesley was 14 —1. A good game was seen last week between Blue Triangle and Caversham, the former team winning by 21 —12. St. John’s, of whom more will probably be heard next season, had another win last week, this time against Gipsy, by 10 —5. St. John’s played very well in the evening tournament last week, and made a good showing against the winners. The_ Fifth Grade forwards were unable to pierce through the strength of the First Grade defenders, but the team managed to hold its own until well into the second half.

JUNIOR TOURNAMENT Very keen competition is expected i n all grades for the winning of banners at the local junior tournament to be held next Saturday. Additional interest will be given to the Second Grade- in that the Oamaru Ladies’ Basket Ball Club is sending a team to compete for the banner. Players will please take note of the foilowing tournament rules: —(1) Teams must be ready to take the field when called upon to do so; (2) the starting and finishing of the games will be controlled by a bell, play ceasing at the ringing of the bell instead of the usual dead ball; ‘(3) captains must toss for ball or choice of end before it is time tor them to take the field; (4) only one minute will be allowed for taking and leaving the field and for the change-over at half time. TROPHIES The teams concerned are reminded that all cups and banners must reach the secretary, Miss R. Mackenzie, by Saturday. It has not vet been decided whether the usual end-of-season social will be held or whether the trophies will be presented after the tournament on Saturday.