BASKETBALL.

Wairarapa Age, 26 August 1933, Page 5

BASKETBALL.

NEW ZEALAND TOURNAMENT AT GISBORNE. WAIRARAPA HAVE ANOTHER WIN. GISBORNE; August 25. The New Zealand basketball championships were continued to-day in ideal spring weather. Results:—'First Grade: Auckland beat Otago, 20/12;. Wellington beat Southland, 14/11; Canterbury beat Hawke’s Bay, 20/15. Second Grade: Poverty Bay beat South Canterbury, 19/15; Wairoa beat Manawatu, 16/14; Wairarapa beat Marlborough, 19/12. At the conclusion of to-day’s play, Auckland were unbeaten in the first grade, with eight championship points, followed by Wellington, fl; Southland, 4; Canterbury, 4; Otago, 2; Hawke’s Bay, O. In the second grade, Waikato and Poverty Bay are both unbeaten, with 8 points, followed by South Canterbury, 6; Wairarapa, 5; Wairoa, 3; Marlborough, 0; Manawatu 0. Wairoa and Manawatu have each played one more game than the others and are due for byes to-morrow. The first -grade, Auckland-Otago game, was very fast and interesting, but hardly up to the standard of other first- grade games. The Auckland centres played fast nippy games, but it is to the sterling work of the defenders that Auckland owes its success. The clash between Canterbury and Hawke's Bay was not so open or fast as other first grade games and on this account not spectacular. At half time the score was 11 to 7 in Canterbury's favour, and a keen and even fight ensued in the second half. Canterbury owes their victory to better defenders and good throwers. In the most exciting match of the afternoon, Wellington beat Southland by 14/11. Southland were on top -.the first half and led 9/7. After the interval, however, Wellington improved, the work of the defenders in particular being excellent. The teams scored goal for goal at the beginning, of the second spell and it was not till near time that Wellington took the lead.

In the second grade, Poverty Bay retained their unbeaten record, by defeating South Canterbury by 19 goals to I's. The game developed into a stern Struggle and the result was in doubt until the last few minutes. Poverty Bay were the more accurate goaithrowers and the defence work excellent. South Canterbury gave a good exhibition of snappy passing in the centres. Wairoa were successful in the game against Manawatu, winning by 16 to 14. The game was fast and open, Manawatu having a great liking to the open game. Wairoa have improved wonderfully since the first games, but round the Manawatu defenders hard to get P ast. In a fast game, Wairarapa beat Marlborough by seven goals Marlborough kept the ball moving with nippy passing bouts. Marlborough were very good in the goal third, but the defenders failed to stop the accurate Wairarapa goal-throwers.—(P 4 )