BASKETBALL DOMINION TITLES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21127, 29 August 1938, Page 9

BASKETBALL DOMINION TITLES

Timaru Venue of Tournament High Standard of Play Expected For the first time on record, Timaru is this week to be the venue of the Dominion basketball tournament, which is to be played on the courts on Caroline Bay. In all 23 teams will be participating in the three grades, and the public of Timaru and South Canterbury will have an opportunity of seeing the game played by experts, as all the teams are fully representative of their respective districts. The entries in the various grades are:— First grade—Auckland, Otago, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Canterbury, Southland. Second-grade—South Canterbury, Manawatu, Wairoa, Hutt Valley, Southland Minor, Waikato, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay Minor and Ashburton. Third grade—West Coast, Wanganui, Hokitika, Marlborough, Horowhenua, Bush, Buller and Otago Minor. The winner of the first-grade will take the New Zealand Cup and the runner-up the Annie Brown Cup. The second grade will compete for the President’s Shield, with the Hayhurst Cup for the runner-up. The third grade winner will receive the Kiwi trophy, and the runner-up the Armstrong Shield. Previous Winners Previous winners in the three grades are:— First Grade N.Z. Cup. Annie Brown Cup 1928—Auckland 1927 Auckland 1928 Auckland 1929 Auckland 1930 Auckland Wellington 1931 Auckland Wellington 1932 Otago Wellington 1933 Auckland Wellington 1934 — Wellington Canterbury 1935 Wellington Otago 1936 Southland Auckland 1937 — Wellington Auckland Of the teams competing this week, Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury have yet to win the New Zealand Cup. Second Grade President’s Shield Hayhurst Cup 1933 Waikato Poverty Bay South Canterbury Wairarapa 1934 Poverty Bay Marlborough 1935 — South Canterbury Southland Minor Ashburton 1936 South Canterbury Taranaki 1937 Southland Minor Ashburton Hutt Valley Third Grade Kiwi Trophy Armstrong Shield 1937—Wairoa West Coast Six of the visiting teams, Southland Minor, Wanganui, Waikato, Bush, Wairoa, and Manawatu arrived in Timaru yesterday, and a majority of the other teams will arrive to-day. South Canterbury, which has previously won the second grade, will again be represented by a strong team.

Miss Beth Drennan has been appointed captain and Miss Doris Strachan vicecaptain. Rapid Growth Basketball has grown considerably in popularity during recent years, and still continues to do so, there now being scarcely a district in New Zealand without its basketball teams. When the New Zealand Basketball Association was formed In 1924 with Auckland, Otago, Canterbury and Wellington as foundation members, there were but 127 teams between the four centres. Today there are 1163 teams affiliated to the New Zealand body. Basketball played as it is in scattered districts from Ninety Mile Beach to the Bluff, is claimed to be the National game for New Zealand girls. Played on a small area of 100 feet by 60 feet, which caters for 18 players at a time, basketball has a fascination of its own. It demands of a player not only physicial fitness, quick-thinking, and speed, but also coolness in emergencies. Above all it demands that team-spirit, which is ever ready to sink individual brilliance for the good of the team. Basketball is first and foremost a team-game. An indication of the need for quick-thinking, and smart action is the fact that no player is permitted to hold the ball for more than three seconds, and In addition a player is not permitted to run with the ball.

The responsibility for the organisation of the tournament lies with the South Canterbury Basketball Association, which has sought the assistance of citizens of Timaru In connection with the billeting of visitors, and the arrangement of entertainment. Every effort is being made to provide players and officials with every, facility, and it Is expected that the large number of games occasioned by the number of teams competing in the various grades will be despatched without hitch. Play in each of the three grades will be commenced at 9 a.m„ the official opening by the Mayor of Timaru, Mr W. G. Tweedy, being performed at 2.45 p.m. on the opening day.