BASKETBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1939, Page 8

BASKETBALL

WAIRARAPA REPRESENTATIVE TEAM COMMENT ON THE PLAYERS. COMING NEW ZEALAND TOURNEY The Wairarapa Basketball Association’s representative team will leave Masterton on Saturday for the annual tournament which is to be held this year at Invercargill Play commences on Wednesday, August 23 and the Wairarapa team will play again in the B grade. Although when the team was chosen the selectors did not consider it a strong one, the excellent coaching of Miss Rosamond Drummond, assisted by the captain, Miss R. Edwards, has improved the form of the players considerably. Basketball supporters in the Wairarapa will view the progress of the tournament games with keen interest and hope to see that the Wairarapa players are giving a good account of themselves. The following are some notes on the players representing Wairarapa:— Forwards. Pat Baskiville: Played ati the Timaru tournament in 1938. Is captain of the Wairarapa College team, and has shown increasingly accurate form during the last few weeks. A reliable player. Edna Jones: Had the bad luck to miss last year’s tournament through illness. Her throwing is better than her field play, and she should increase Wairarapa’s scores this year. Betty Stitt: lona’s excellent defender is now throwing goals well. A hard player to play against—strong and determined.

Joan Gemmell: One of last year’s reps. Collegians’ captain, who has worked hard for her team during the season under considerable difficulties. She should do well at Invercargill. Centres. Rona Edwards: The Wairarapa team captain for the second time. Has also represented Auckland and the North Island. An inspiration to the girls in team play. Margaret McLaren: Played in team at Timaru last year. Though the youngest player in the team she has brilliant moments. She shows good possibilities for Invercargill. Pat Hanley; Played for Wairarapa at Timaru, but has changed her position in the team, and is doing excellently in the centre.

Maureen Eastwood: Has earned her place in the reps, through steady and consistant play over several years. Will be most useful. Defenders.

Lorna Renner: Vice-captain last year and again this year. An experienced player both in Wairarapa and Wellington teams. A quick defender. Alma Burgess: Is the captain of Stars, the winning club team this year. Represented Wairarapa last year and has played a consistently strong game all this year.

Monica Gadsby: Has also represented Wairarapa before. Thoroughly deserves her place as a Wairarapa rep. Excels at quick interceptions. Maureen Carroll: Played last year at Timaru and did excellent work. Strong and accurate and should be most useful at Invercargill. The team will be accompanied by the manager, Miss Dorothy O’Donnell, herself a player and Wairarapa representative of some years standing. Miss O'Donnell’s experience, steadiness and wisdom in the ways of basketball will enable her to advise the team well and to look after them in every respect. She will also be the Wairarapa delegate to the New Zealand Conference. On Saturday last the season came to an end as far as the Wairarapa is concerned with the presentation of the cups to the winning teams. The presentations were made by the president, Miss O. R. Sutherland, who congratulated the winners, and also all the

players on the excellent spirit that had prevailed. She gave to the representative team the very best wishes of the association for success in the tournament games.

The Wairarapa and Lansdowne cups were won by the Star’s captain, Alma Burgess; while the O’Donnell cup for the B grade was received by Beatrice Reilly, captain of lona.