Record Entries For Basketball

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 5

Record Entries For Basketball

’T’HE Canterbury women’s x basketball competitions will start today in all grades and with a record number of 221 teams entered, the season should be a successful one. With grading day and two tournaments held so far, teams have taken the opportunity to try players for their senior teams. The senior grade appears to be a very open one this season. Kakatai Won the annual tournament. West Old Girls were runnerup in this tournament and won the handicap tournament with Technical runner-up. St. Nicholas and Kakatai both won their sections. Only Four Last season's competition winner. Sacred Heart, has only four of last year’s team: J. Martin, N. Fahey (Canterbury representatives), P. Lawson and A. Coleman. It has wisely selected promising young players to fill the vacancies. Once this team works up a combination it should develop into a strong side. Kakatai, runner-up last year, has all its players available for this season. J. Dunlop. a New Zealand representative. and L. Price who has played for Canterbury, are two of the most accurate goal-shooters in the senior grade. H. Caldwell. L. Watson and J. King (Canterbury representatives). combined well in the centre and M. Neiman, goal defence, will be well supported by E. Kirkwood.

West Old Girls will have a stronger team than last season. An accurate goalshooter, J. Wright, will be given plenty of valuable assistance by a former Otago senior player, H. Bryant. K. Williams, M. Hopkins, and M. Murray are capable players in the centre and M. Islip and P. Bennett have improved in their defensive play. The composition of the Technical team suggests that it should be the strongest team in the competition but because of its unpredictable nature in the past, this forecast might not prove to be true. P. Edmonds who has represented New Zealand, and three Canterbury representatives. L. Johns. M. Fisher and C. Brown, will form the nucleus of the side.

Although retaining only three members of last year's team, St. Nicholas is a much improved side. The team includes three promoted senior reserve players, M. Dalzell, I. Carson and M. Crossan, and a young third grade representative, N. Baker. With two teams in the competition, Teachers’ College has not yet selected its teams. There are some promising players to choose from, some of whom are: C. McMasters (New Zealand representative), A. Stewart (Canterbury representative), J. McMillan. I. Sansen, M. N. Blomquist (senior reserve representative). At present it looks as if Teachers’ College might have its strongest A team for many years.