Premier Finals Preview (and Bruce's picks)
Grand Finals preview by Bruce Martin – see you all there!
Women’s Premier Final 5.45pm Lincoln University plays University of Canterbury
Lincoln University with greater depth of scoring on its bench appears the team to beat in the Women’s Premier Grand Final. Lincoln University is led by Tall Fern, and Wildcat Captain, Shea Crotty, the only person remaining in the Lincoln University side who was in the Wolverines team that stopped University in 2009. Other Lincoln University players to watch are Bridgette Lawn dominating the keyhole, Tessa Morrison, Johaana Bates and Hannah Turton. University (UC) on the other hand have been building slowly this season under coach Pip Connell and have a proud record of seven titles in the last eight finals to look back on. Wildcat Rosanna Katene and junior NZ representative Laken Wairau will play leading roles for UC.
Men’s Premier Final 7.30pm Checkers are second seed against fourth seeded Atami
The defending Men’s Premier basketball champion Atami has got past a mid-season slump and is now all primed up to compete in its 13th Men’s Premier championshipbasketball Grand final in 14 season’s Saturday at 7.30pm in Cowles stadium. Atami have won eight titles since their inception by Clyde the Glide Huntley in 1992 but standing in its way is a very formidable challenge from one of the oldest clubs in the competition, Checkers under Coach Kenny Perkins.
Last Saturday Atami achieved the improbable by putting out the unbeaten Pioneer team 72-58 in the Semi-finals, playing from the fourth seeded position while Checkers squeezed past Gators with its usual determination and fast running game.
The fore-runner of Checkers, Y Boys, won nine titles in the 1950’s and Checkers have won seven since 1977, the last two being, with many of the present team, led by Nat Connell, in 2011 and 2012 finals against Atami. The 2011 final went to Checkers in an over-time 102-96 thriller and over-time might be needed to break the deadlock in this year’s Grand final. Hold your breath
Several members of Checkers, Ben Van Oosten and Connell both with vast NBL experience, also played for the Royals team that beat Atami by 10 points in the 2005 final.
Throughout much of the last 14 seasons the brothers, Scott and Ritchie Howell have been the ‘Cooks and bottle washers’ of the Atami club and have taken leading roles in many finals. Scott and Ritchie started playing Premier basketball around 1997/8 and took over the reigns of the Atami club around 2000. Another veteran player in the side is former Canterbury Ram Nathan Hyde who is playing in his 10th Grand final over 11 seasons and plays a huge defensive role for Atami.
Add in gritty performances from Assistant coach Ash Rees and the outside shooting proweress of former Ram Joel Hart plus huge efforts from Rusty Thompson, Bryn McLennan and Cam Chalmers Atami will be hard to beat.
Scott Howell reported that it’s not often we go into a final as the underdog (record wise). The boys played well last week and I am hoping we will do the same again this week. You know how finals go, it’s all on one game and it depends who shows up on the day.
On the other hand the almost unstoppable Canterbury Ram Ethan Rusbatch has been in awesome form for the Rams and Checkers, probably averaging over 20PPG and he inspires more from his team-mates with a fast-running game. Connell is the architect of the Checkers sets and Van Oosten and the busy Pip Johnston are never far from the action.
Come and support the All Stars Finals 8.30 and 9.30am
There are 14 finals in all on Grand finals day which start with the All Stars Year 7-8 and Year 5-6, both Boys and Girls at 8.30 and 9.30 am. Selwyn Raiders and North Canterbury Tar Heels made the competition into six teams this season with teams selected from their Junior development programs with Wharenui Gators and North Canterbury having three teams reaching the Finals, challenging the dominance of Wharenui Gators from last years’ finals, who won all four All Star grades.
My other picks for the finals are
10.45am MU17: STAC to edge Papanui High unless Papanui does another OT comeback.
10.45am GU15 Wharenui Gators too strong for Checkers but Checkers have improved greatly
12.30pm: BU15 Shirley Spartans to sneak home over Cashmere but Cashmere have some tall timber.
12.30pm: WU20 . Not going to stop UC A for a third straight title but Burnside will try hard.
2.15pm MU20. Should be Burnside all the way but Boys High capable of an upset. Go Joe!
2.15pm WD1. Royals again all the way, prove me wrong Minties
4.00pm MU23 The unbeaten Lincoln Bulls should go all the way but Pioneer are hurting.
4.00pm MD1 Placemakers (now under the Pioneer banner) have the experience, champions in 2008/09 &2011/12 including the Costley brothers while the new boys Pilipinas Askals have improved week by week and will be buoyed on by hundreds of patriotic supporters, bring your ear-muffs, there will be standing room only around Ct2.
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