DISTRICT BASKET-BALL.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17663, 14 August 1929, Page 4

DISTRICT BASKET-BALL.

GAME AVTTH AUCKLAND B. AUCKLAND’S GOOD EXHIBITION. The impressions of the ThamesHauraki basketball team on returning from their trip to Auckland, can be imagined only bv those who have ever watched or played real basketball. In consequence of affiliating with the. Auckland Association amatch was arranged to be played on the occasion of the football excursion, but the local players, still in the amateur stages of the game, had no intention of playing a senior grade team and were ' therefore' not a little taken aback to find Auckland’s B representative team awaiting them. However, nothing daunted, they determined to- do their best.

The match, officially managed and refereed by Miss Lee, wa* played at 3.30 p.m. in the Drill Hal], Wellesley Street, there being a large number of spectators. Some minor disadvantages. to the visiting team were pjfobably the lighting effects of the hall, and the unusually large court. But the one real hurdle was the lightning quickness and the combination of the Auckland players, the outcome of many years constant and definite training, and who have the advantage, too, of night courts for practice. This was the first- match the local reps, had played together and since the various clubs are scattered over a large area, practising together has been out of the question.

From the every ytart of the match, however,, they put up an excellent fight although the experience of the opponents made them vastly superior. Misses Brown and Chatfield. on the line, were great asset* to the team, thus retarding the progress of the gcalers to a very important degree. These attacking from the goal side of the line and My s Graham from the centre side, formed tile chief battle* ground of the match, and right royally they stuck to their post. When the ball was thrown up each time Thames found itself at a loss, being used to jumping for the ball as it descends and not capturing it on its way up as the city players do. This and many more little new dodges were indulged in by the latter. Probably the /strongest section | of the local team, the forwards, had for the most part of the game very little opportunity to display their ability and to score for their side, but when towards the end Thames began to find its combination, they ecized the ball, were sure and \qui'c>\ in their passing, and the goal scored by Mi ss Richards was a real brih liant victory considering the odds, and Auckland’s strong and wonderful defence. Could the game have lasted on a while longer it is more than probable that several more scores would have followed /similarly, as Thames was just warming up to the knacks of their opponents and the centres passing with finish through to the gcalers. This has been a unique experience for the local reps, who have come home convinced that basketball has as high an aim as that of any other sport