BASKETBALL SEMI-FINAL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1934, Page 9

BASKETBALL SEMI-FINAL

MATCHES IN JUNIOR GRADE. The semi-finals of the junior grade of the Taranaki basketball competitions were played on Saturday. New Plymouth Convent defeated Okato Huias by 11 goals to 6 and Eltham beat Stratford Technical High School by 18 goals to 14. Right from the commencement both Convent and Okato showed their keenness, but Convent settled down quickly and set the pace. Before Okato opened its score Convent had three to its credit. The Okato defence played well and the centres did some splendid work in intercepting, but their passes to the goalies were apt to be too high, and were thus easily intercepted by their tall pppqnents. The Okato goalies did not move out as fast as the Convent girls. Both teams, however, gave some good exhibitions of passing. By half-time the score was 5—2 in favour of Convent. In the seoond half Okato played a much better game and for some time it appeared as though they would even the score. However, the Convent defence again intercepted well and prevented the opponents from scoring. The other semi-final at Stratford was very even, a noticeable feature being the accurate goal-throwing by both sides—very few shots were missed. Both teams showed different styles of play, Eltham, using the side-line play, was rather apt to play too near the line, thus losing the ball, and giving the Stratford team the advantage of the throw-in. Stratford Technical High School on the other hand played more through the centre. of the court. The first half was even, Eltham leading by one goal at 12—11. In the second half Eltham showed its superiority throughout, while the Stratford Technical High School centres were apt to give too long passes > when passing to the goalies. The Elthafii forwards played more to position and passed more swiftly. The finals of this grade will be played between Eltham and New Plymouth Convent.