Southland's Second Grade Basketball Team

Southland Times, Issue 23888, 5 August 1939, Page 15

Southland's Second Grade Basketball Team

By

ATTACK

Miss D. Hutton has announced the following second grade team to represent Southland for 1939:—

ATTACKS.—M. Adam (Rata), G. Maley (Technical), H. McDougall (Makarewa). CENTRES.—S. Kynaston (Wallacetown), V. Mortimer (Makarewa), J. Swale (Stuarts). DEFENDERS—N. Lee (Makarewa), M. Parkinson (Wallacetown), E. Ingram (Stuarts). EMERGENCY.—C. Bone (Pirates).

At a meeting of the executive on Tuesday last, J. Swale was appointed captain and M. Adam deputy-captain. M. Adam is a reliable shoot who has shown great improvement during this season. She combines well with her team-mates and is reliable in any situation which may arise. At times she is inclined to be a little slow at court work.

G. Maley, probably the youngest member of the team, represented Southland last year. Her play has improved considerably since last year as she has gained more confidence and developed a better match temperament. She is a very promising player who has great speed on the court and is a most spectacular shoot.

H. McDougall also represented Southland last year. She is a very speedy and reliable court worker who works hard to keep her colleagues supplied with the ball. Sometimes she is not as accurate as desirable at the goal, but she handles excellently and holds the forward third together by her speedy passes.

J. Swale is another player who represented Southland last year. She is a reliable centre player who intercepts brilliantly and plays a very intelligent game, always coming forward when required. V. Mortimer is a young player and also a former representative who has improved considerably this season. She shows considerable promise and uses her height to advantage in interception. S. Kynaston is a promising player who is very fast in court work and handles efficiently. She has developed rapidly during this season and always plays a reliable game. E. Ingram, a defender who represented Southland last year, has improved appreciably this year. She is fast on attack and on defence plays a clever grame free from personal contact. N. Lee is a player who has displayed excellent form throughout the season. She guards her opponents closely and through keeping her eye continually on the ball intercepts brilliantly. M. Parkinson is a very reliable defender who can be depended upon to play well whenever required. She intercepts excellently and clears well. C. Bone is a very good defender who plays an energetic game and guards her opponent closely. SATURDAY’S MATCHES Because of bad weather matches last Saturday were played in the Drill Hall. The St. Mary’s-Technical match was an excellent one from both the spectators’ and players’ point of view. The shooting on both sides was very good

although St. Mary’s deserves slightly higher commendation in this respect. The passing was fast and open, the ball flashing quickly from end to end or the court. The centres were well matched and the Technical forwards played a brilliant game against such taller and more experienced defenders. The St. Mary’s forwards were, however, definitely superior to Technical defenders, one of whom was an emergency. The half-time score was 13-all. At the beginning of the second, half St Mary’s gained a definite lead which it never lost. Moira McGrath was shooting particularly well, seldom missmTelchntoaiaplayfd strenuously throughout the game forcing St. Marys to work hard for every conversion. Gwenda Maley, as usual, played a clever game and shot consistently. Dulcie Mackay in Technical’s defence, played very well, intercepting brilliantly on many occasions. Maree McCormick m St. Mary’s defence guarded her opponent closely and used her height to advantage. The final score was 27-20 in favour of St. Mary’s. The most interesting of the second grade games was that between Stuarts and Rata. During the opening stages of the game the passing was good but the shooting was very poor indeed.

Stuarts in particular was very inaccurate at the goal, the forwards making very little use of the many opportunities afforded them by an active centre third. Stuarts forwards fielded and combined well but failed lamentably at the goal.

The Rata centres played well and gave their forwards sufficient opportunities, but the forwards lacked combination and failed to come forward to the ball. They thus had great difficulty in working play to the goal. The half-time score was 6-4 in favour of Stuarts. During the second half Stuarts improved in their shooting and bright passing movements were finished off by excellent shots. Rata’s centres and defence continued to play well but the forwards still hung behind their opponents. The final score was 14-5 in Stuarts’ favour. The match between Wallacetown and Pirates was quite spectacular in its passing, but was marred by exceptionally poor shooting by the Pirates’ forwards. The passing was open and fast and defence and centre thirds were evenly matched. The Pirates’ forwards, however, although fielding quite well, missed even the easiest shots at goal. The centres kept the forwards well supplied with the ball and had the attacks been on form the scores would have been closer—the final result might even have been reversed. Wallacetown won by 13 goals to 9. Exhibition has improved considerably during the last few weeks and last Saturday played very good basketball. The defence and centre thirds combined well and the forwards fielded cleverly. All three forwards were consistent at the goal, their accuracy giving their team the victory over St. Mary’s by 18-12. NEW ZEALAND TOURNAMENT The following entries, 17 altogether, have been received for the tournament to be held here in August.:— FIRST GRADE.—Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, Southland. SECOND GRADE.—Wairarapa, Waikato, Manawatu, Ashburton, South Canterbury, Southland Minor. THIRD GRADE.—Wanganui, Hokitika, West Coast, Temuka, Otago Minor. Wellington and Canterbury are at present the holders of the first grade trophy, and South Canterbury holds the second and Bush the third.