BASKETBALL NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 98, 28 April 1939, Page 12

BASKETBALL NOTES

NEW RULES FORMED RESULT OF AUSTRALIAN TOUR The Wanganui Basketball Association’s 1939 grade competitions were opened last Saturday with a record number of teams. Judging by the en thusiasm displayed the season should be a successful one for the association and the affiliated teams. In August, 1938, a dream of the New Zealand executive was realised: lhe first all New Zealand team went to Australia. The team competed in the AIl-Australia tournament, and although by no means victorious did not disgrace itself, playing a game it did not know against the Australia could produce, and it was a very good “best.” The New Zealand team did I not like the Australian game, but the: Australian critics and many of their; players liked the New Zealand form (says the “New Zealand Girl.”) A conference of the two countries! was held and a preliminary set of I rules for international play, to be tried out until 1940, was drawn up. In April 1940, the New Zealand tournament will be held at lhe Exhibition! in Wellington, and invitations have hen sent to countries of the British Empire where the game is played to send delegates to discuss the rules. Thus it is hoped to have a set of rules which will be acceptable to all basketball associations. Since Australian basketball and English netball both have seven-a-side teams, lhe international game will be seven-a-side. At the 1938 New Zealand Council meeting, the delegates refused to; change to a seven-a-side game, and so! modifications had to be made to keep the nine-a-side game in the Dominion. At the same time the new rules allow : for five, seven, or nine-a-side game, and thus where associations have only | small indoor accommodation, the five-; a-side game could be' played. This; would be much better than introduc-1 ing the five-a-side game played by the ' men s associations which is not nearly . such a good game for girls. The now j rule books can be obtained either through your own local association, or direct from the N>■••• Zealand sccrc-1 tary. Box 1533, Wellington. Some of the main differences from lhe game as played last year are as 1 follows: — Commencement of Play. —Centres stand at each end of Oft. line, and the centre pass shall be taken alterne.-’ tively. All other players stand side by side not touching. The players of, the team not in possession of the balli shall say on which side their oppon-'

| ents must stand. (Please note this carefully, as it is quite different from anything ever played in this country). | Guarding.—This has been eliminatled entirely. There should be sufficient i room between two players passing and | receiving a ball from a girl to pass i Standing or jumping with arms upi raised in front of a player in possession of the ball is an infringement, j Play r in Circle.—When a player is in .'a position to take a shot at goal all .; play ceases and players stand out of J the way. The shot must be taken I within five seconds. If it fails, tne J ball is thrown in where it went out. | lf it hits the goal post the throw can |be taken from either side of the goai > post within the radius of the circle. ■Goals can only’ be shot from inside the i circle. | Double Fouls.--There is no penalty; . the game continues, ! Penalties.—These are much simpler ! and are obvious. The penalty is usui ally a free pass or throw-in to the I other side at the spot, or inside the I line as the case calls for. ; Throw-in.—This is the same, except : that as there is no guarding, an opponent of the one throwing in must | stand outside the court until the ball jis thrown. Both must enter the court : directly. No players may stand within nine feet of a player throwing in, but ’this does not mean nine feet back from ■ the line; it may be nine feet along. ■ Termination of Game. —Game ends j immediately on time-keeper's signal. 'This is new, too. The referee’s whistle lis not needed, and the game ends, ,' even if the ball is on its way to the j ring. The open exception is when a ' free throw at goal has been awarded. i Players.—lnstead of three forwards, ; three centres, and three defenders. • t here are now attack wing, goal I thrower, attack, right wing centre, I centre, left wing centre, defence wing, goal defence, defence. Each player on i[the field has a name. J Substitutes. —If it is necessary for ; any reason to have a substitute, she ’may be used at any time, so long as ! she has been recognised by the re- : force. | Scoring.- A goal can only legally be ’.scored by either attack, attack wing, or goal thrower. Thus a goal acci- ! dentally made by a defence would not [count. Only one shot at goal is al- | lowed. j Out. of Bounds.—On the line is in bounds, over the lines is out. A bail rebounding from the goal post is out. ’hut if it hits the top and goes through ’the ring a goal is scored. : Referee.—ln Australia and England 'the one controlling the game is called I umpire,in New Zealand, referee. Thu international rules allow of both, and 'New Zealand will retain referee. If ' a ball hits the referee the game doe., not stop. Throw-up. The only alteration is i that players must stand with hands touching behind their backs.