Psychiatrist For Basketball Side?

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31082, 10 June 1966, Page 13

Psychiatrist For Basketball Side?

A suggestion by a keen follower of men’s basketball that the chief Canterbury coach-selector (Mr L. N. Saunders) should consider the inclusion of a psychiatrist in his team to play Otago at Cowles Stadium this evening, is probably carry ing things a bit too far.

Nevertheless, the implication that Canterbury’s regular defeats by Otago in the last five years have built a mental barrier against winning, in thei minds of local players certainly has some foundation.

There have been times when Canterbury has obviously had the best team and yet it has almost Invariably been beaten by its southern rivals.

And it has occasionally beaten teams which have had no trouble in dealing with Otago. S.I. Championship

Tonight the two sides will meet in the first game of the South Island championship series, which will be conducted on a home-and-away basis during the next few weeks. In the last South Island championship, Otago finished first equal with Canterbury but retained the title it had won the previous year because it had beaten Canterbury during the tournament. If the Canterbury team can take the court tonight in an aggressive state of mind then it should be able to prevent Otago winning the championship for the third time in succession. One of the bogeymen of Canterbury’s past defeats, L. Pearson, is not in the Otago team, and this could just swing the balance in favour of the home side. However, much will depend on the form of the Canterbury captain, R. Entwistle, who will have to do most of the scoring, and another veteran representative, C. P. Dyson. Holds Himself Back Dyson is a brilliant player in club games, but is inclined to hold himself back too much

in representative fixtures so that the full benefit of his driving power is not obtained. He is an individualist and no doubt it is on this basis that he has been selected. It is certainly not much use trying to turn him into a copybook team man overnight. If he is allowed to get the bit between his teeth he could considerably upset the Otago defence. The rest of the Canterbury players, with the possible exception of C. Morris, a guard of rare ability, are unlikely to be match winners and as such should concern themselves mainly with sound positional play and team-work. Former Cantabrians Only five members of the nine-strong Otago team have played in Christchurch previously. Among them are the

New Zealand representative. D. Sharp, who played for Canterbury a few seasons ago, and I. Day, a Canterbury representative last season. Sharp is player-coach of the team, a position which could take some of the sting out of his play.

One player who may have to be watched is the American, T. Haggerman. A lecturer at the physical education school at Dunedin, he is a player of considerable ability and one with a very sound knowledge of the game. The teams are:—

Otago.—D. Sharp (coaehi. J. Paul (captain), T. Haggerman. R. Murdoch. S. Dickson. A. Pricker. S. Dickel. I. Day, R. Stewart.

Canterbury.—R Entwistle (captain), P. Roas, M. Askew. C. Morris, G. Williams. A. Hounselt, C. Dyson.