BASKETBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 May 1939, Page 8

BASKETBALL

WAIRARAPA GAMES. AN INTERESTING DAY. The Wairarapa Basketball Association had a most interesting day on Saturday last, -when Miss M_. E. Armstrong, president of the New Zealand Basketball Referees’ Association, visited Masterton to help the local referees in their interpretation of the new rules. Mis Armstrong refereed two A grade matches and both players and spectators learnt a great deal from her strict and impartial application of the rules. After the matches, Miss Armstrong was entertained to afternoon tea by the executive. and answered many questions put by referees and officers. The results of the matches, were as follow:— A Grade. Stars beat lona, 18/16. College A- beat Collegians, 17/7 H.S.O.G. beat College B, 20/4. The Stars v. lona match was very closely contested. The sepre was even many times, and then Stars would draw ahead by one. Half-time score was 12/11 in 'favour of Stars. Both teams used long passing too much for a safe game, and over and over again only one centre handled the ball, or at the most two. In lona centre, P. Hanley combined well with M. Eastwood; her quick pass-on was very 1 commendable. B. Stitt was again a forward and is improving in that position, though lona defence missed her sureness. Stars defenders did not play a good positional game. Several, times A. Burgess trying to clear the ball from her opponents’ goal, had no one in position to receive her pass. On the whole, defence play in the Wairarapa, though strong in individuals, is haphazard.

Stars forwards were by no means sure shots in this game, though O. Lysaght played well. Combination here was not as good as usual. The referee penalised girls frequently for what is a very common fault in all teams —stepping with the ball. The College A v. Collegians match was a fairly even one till half-time, which saw the score 7/5 in favour of College. Bjit the Collegians tired in the second half and the College forwards, particularly I. Shoosmith, who had been shooting badly in the first half, improved very much. P. Baskiville played a sound and steady game for College, enlivened by one or two really good shots. E. McLaren has moved to College centre, and played very well indeed. In this third the passing was, as usual, accurate and quick, too quick sometimes, as there were penalties for stepping with the ball.

For Collegians, J. Gemmell did most of the forward work. Her colleagues fail to get away from their opponents and make passing difficult. Among the Collegian defenders, G. Bubbers is a much improved player. Her determination and vigour at intercepting were most useful, particularly in the first half.

The College B v. H.S.O.G. match saw passes far too long on the part of both teams.

Very good work was done by the O.G. centres, P. Stubbings, H. Winter and J. Russell. The Old Girls defence was much too strong for the opponents, but the College forwards failed particularly by doing too much passing among themselves. Also they must learn to throw more into space; they stay far too much by their opponents’ sides. Much the best player in the College team was C. Ross, whose defence play was excellent, being quick and intelligent. The team would have been lost without her.

EXECUTIVE MEETING. TRANSFER GRANTED. After the matches were over, an executive meeting was held, Miss O. R. Sutherland being in the chair. V. Hendry was given a transfer from College to Collegians. The president’s action in putting the Greytown nurses’ team in place of T.0.G., who have resigned, was endorsed. A report was received from the selectors, Misses O. R. Sutherland and D. O'Donnell, and a discussion took place on representative team matters.