WANGANUI BASKETBALL SEASON OPENED LAST SATURDAY

Wanganui Chronicle, 12 April 1948, Page 7

WANGANUI BASKETBALL SEASON OPENED LAST SATURDAY

The 1948 basketball season officially opened on Saturday when Senior B, Junior, and Third Grade competition matches were commenced. Senior grade championship games will start next Saturday. Four teams only are entered in the senior grade. These are Nga Toa, Past Students, St. Mary’s, and Technical College Old Girls. Tfie Nga Toa team is vastly different from that combination which won the 1946 and 1947 championships. Only lour of last year’s team are still playing. Among those who have given up the game are Elma Glasgow, Joyce Smith, and Joan Ralph (now Mrs. H. S. Cocks). These three all have representative records and the loss of their services is regretted. Elma Glasgow's sure shooting has been a big factor in Nga Toa’s past successes. Her position will be hard to fill. With so mainy new players in the team it will take time to mould a new combination.

St. Mary’s is little changed. Agnes White, a 1948 representative, has returned to Auckland. As ever, this team will provide strong opposition. The players are keen, speedy, and determined.

Technical Old Girls have lost the services of Joan McFarland, their former captain and also former representative captain. She has given valuable service over a number of years. Apart from this the team is the same side which so strongly challenged Nga Toa in the past two seasons.

Another prominent representative player, Mona Brown, will this year be missed from the Past Students’ side. The team, however, has acquired the services of Inez Platt, who made her representative debut last season. With her services and those of Olive Platt, a Wanganui B centre last season, the side should be a strong one. It is interesting to note that of last year’s 12 representative players who made the trip to the Dominion tournament at Nelson, only six are in action this season. Of these six, three only have more than one year’s representative experience. This gives the younger promising players a better opportunity of showing their ability than for many years yast. A record number of entries in the senior B grade promises strong competition this season and augurs well for the future of basketball in Wanganui. Interesting games were witnessed on Saturday and Kiwi in particular are to be congratulated on their showing. Promoted from third grade, the team strongly challenged College A, being defeated by only two goals. With further experience in this higher grade the team should develop into a dangerous combination. Past Students are also a team to be watched. The team is composed of last year’s Technical Al and A2 teams some of. whom show great promise. RESULTS OF MATCHES. Senior B Grade. Waverley 13, v. Tech. College A 12; Collegians 25, v. W.C.O.G. 17; College A 15, v. Kiwis 13; Students 17, v. Technical Old Girls 15; St. Mary’s 14, v. Star 7. Junior Grade United 21, v. Hinemoa 6; Technical Bl 16, v. Technical B 22; St. Mary's 19, v. Students 2; College B 19, v. Technical College B 3 3. Relax had the bye. Third Grade. Section I: Waverley 11, v. College C 8; Garments B 32, v. Technical College 1 8; Junior Labour League 16, v. Technical College 2 14; Demons 30, v Technical College 33; Zemba 11 v. Technical College 4 5 Kai Iwl 13, V. Technical College 5 2. Section 2: P. end T. 25, v. College D 5; Ratana won by default from Garments A; St. Mary's 16, v. Woolworths 7; McGruer's 14, v. D.I.C. 7; Felt* and Textile 15, v A.D.W. 14; Technical College 6 the bye.