Upset Win To Y-Boys In Men Basketball

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31108, 11 July 1966, Page 10

Upset Win To Y-Boys In Men Basketball

The lowly-placed Y-Boys team provided the biggest shock of the season when it beat Burnham, which was favoured to finish in the top four for the final play-off, in the twelfth round of the inter-club A grade men’s basketball competition on Saturday.

The Y-Boys team produced an ineffective, negative style of play in the first spell and at half-time was trailing, 8-11. It never looked likely to gain control. But in the second spell it rose well above itself and for the first time this season gave an indication of its true potential. Urged on by the wild cheering of the spectators, sensing an upset, Y-Boys scored 20 points in the second half to win narrowly, 28-24. It was the side’s first win this season. It now shares bottom place with Rex, which is meets for the final time next Saturday. The loss cost Burnham its chance of contesting the A grade championship when the competition is split into a top four and bottom three after next week’s games. The two other matches played lacked nothing in interest, either. Rex nearly toppled University B, finally losing 37-38 after an exceptionally even game. High School Old Boys, without several of its key players, almost proved a match for the competition leader, University A. The students finally won 45-33. Points are: University A 20, Y.M.C.A. 17, Old Boys 12, University B 11, Burnham 8, Y-Boys 2, Rex 2. Fins Comeback Y-BOYS 28: R. Dew 9, L. Anderson 8, K. Ewings 5, N. Vincent 2, T. Reece 2, B. Skinner 1, B. Kelly 1. BURNHAM 24: D. Watson 8, C. M. Fagg 6, E. C. Donner 5, A. G. Ward 2, B. Rose 2, M. Simons 1. Without the leadership of Its player-coach, C. P. Dyson, away with the Canterbury team at Invercargill, and another of its

leading players, G. Costello, Burnham showed little cohesion from the start. However, it took Y-Boys almost half the game to realise that victory was in its grasp. A former Canterbury representative, L. Anderson, who is not normally available on Saturdays, controlled play beautifully from the guard position. His example undoubtedly guided the others to their first victory. His reverse hook shot under the basket in the second spell was one of the finest shots of the day. T. S. Reece, a relative newcomer to the team, also played soundly. He did not score freely but his rebounding and general play under the basket was invaluable. K. Ewings was another who made a useful contribution. Y-Boys demonstrated considerable accuracy with its free shots, scoring 10 points from a possible of 16. Burnham was successful with only two out of 12. Burnham did not make full! use of its height advantage. One of its shorter players, D. Watson, was also the most effective. Much Stronger UNIVERSITY B 38: W. E. Smith 16, B, Strong 8, D. de Lisle 7, J. Riley 5, P. Sharp 2. REX 37: P. Foster 10, T. Buckingham 9, P. Ward 7, D. Verey 5, M. Mackay 4, M. Allison 2. The first appearance of the former Canterbury representative, M. Mackay, and an Australian, T. Buckingham, changed the whole look of the Rex team. Overnight it has developed considerable strength and it nearly upset the strong University B side. The students were struggling to stay ahead right throughout the game. For a time in the first spell Rex looked likely to win handsomely. It had a 15-10 lead and only some determined play by University narrowed the gap. At half-time University B led 20-19. Depleted Te-im UNIVERSITY A 45: J. Stead 12, Seong 10, K. Williams 7, D. Nunns 6, P. Riddell 6, P. Stigley 4. OLD BOYS 33: M. Gleason 11, R. S. Thomson 10, P. Bell 6, R. Tremewan 6. Tn spite of only being able to field two of its usual team, MGleason and P. Bell, Old Boys provided University A with some stimulating competition. With only 5 mln. to go in the first spell,-Old Boys was surprisingly leading, 9-8. However, at the break University was ahead, 16-11. University also had three

players away with the Canterbury team. Nevertheless, it still had five of its usual team and should have done better.

The game marked the first appearance of a schoolboy in the A grade. B. Baxter, of the Christchurch Boys’ High School team, made up the fifth member for Old Boys and In spite of "first-night” nerves, made a fairly good job of a difficult task. Senior Reserve.—First division (Saturday): Christchurch B.H.S. A 36, Y.M.C.A. B 31; Rex B beat Wigram by default; University C 67, Burnham B 30. Second division (Tuesday): Y-Boys B 43, H. 5.0.8. B 24; Orients A 31, St. Andrew's Old Boys 8; Christ’s College A 37. Ranglora A 29; Y.M.C.A. C beat Teachers’ College A by default. B Grade.—Riccarton A 36, Deaf Boys B 12; University D 17, Burnseo A 12; Lincoln College A 27, Burnham C 25; Rex C 21, Ranglora B 10. C Grade.—Toe H A 35, Hagley A 23; Y-Boys C 24, Burnseo B 18; N.A.C. 37, Deaf Boys 36; Taxes 38, Y.M.C.A. 22. D Grade.—Lyttelton 18, Taxes B 4; Toe H B 17, Deaf Boys C 12; Lincoln College B 30, Orients B 22; Shirley 0.8. 34, Teachers’ College B 16. Under 20.—St. Andrew’s 31, Christchurch B.H.S. B 23; Shirley H.S. 25, Cashmere H.S. 23; Hagley H.S. B 9, Riccarton H.S. B 9; Rex D 10, Mairehau H.S. 10.