Top Basketball teams in 1956 not troubled in competition.

The top teams were not troubled in the 1956 Basketball competition in Invercargill.  There was not upsets in the A Grade although Collegiate B had their A team rattled in the first half of their game.  Games were again marred by poor shooting, with st Mary's A missing far too many for an A grade team.

High  School gave Rata A a scare in the first half of their game, with the young team coming out 'all guns blazing' and were constantly attacking giving their supporters hope of causing the biggest upset in Basketball for that season.
The score was 2-2 for quite sometime as either team could not penetrate the defence.  Rata finally got their act together in a game that was a good clean game with minimal infringements. 
Rata's forward line with Valerie Pierce, A. Beange, and C. Thomson, combined well and ran the High School team ragged.
Avis Pierce and Valerie Pierce put up some good shots in the end after a dismal first half.  Clare Thomson play a fast attacking game and gave all the shoots plenty of ball. P. Levett and S. O'Brien worked well together in the centre and Margaret Stevens was the pick of the defences.
The school defence of Linley Orbell, Viginia Butchers and Sandra MacPherson, combined well and had the opposition bustled early on in the game.  M. Chisholm netted some good goals for School.
Celia Fahey was missed from the St Mary's line up and consequently the shooting was very poor with Celia's sister, Eileen Fahey missing 8 goals in the first quarter, although her all round play was of a top standard and she was beuatiful to watch.
Beth McDonald also did some great work but the combination was lacking understanding.
Pam Williams, N. Cruickshank and M. O'Neill did some excellent defences work and can be given the credit for their teams win.
With the score at 7-2 at halftime to St Mary's, Stuarts attacked even more vigorously after halftime but could not outwit the defence.   St Mary's shooters found their form and finally won the game 20-3.
After leading 8-3 at halftime Makarewa were lucky to beat St Marys B by one goal. It was a close match the whole game and Makarewa's defence of S. Cruickshank, D.Dyet and E. McLelland putting on a good display.  They intercepted and combined well against some good St Mary's forward line C. O.Brien and M.Bates.
St Mary's B came out firing in the second half and Makarewa did not net one goal for ten minutes.  There was nothing between the two teams but Makarewa staged a late revivial to hold its lead of one goal and win 10-9.
One of the best combinations seen for a long time was that of Rata B's forwards, H. Orr, C. Powell, and E. McKenzie against Kiwi.  E. McKenzie scored most of the teams goals but only after getting great support from her forwards.
Kiwi took a while to get going and if it had started the way they finished they most certainly could have won.  The final score was 21-16.
Collegiate B  centres held their own against their bigger sister, Collegiate A, which was led well by J. McLaren.  It was an even match with the score reaching 5-5.  The A Shoots missed 6 goals on end but held a slim lead to halftime.  Mary Sinclair played an excellent game in the B shoots and they were aptly supported by their team work.
Although the A team ended up winning 19-9 this score flatters them as the B side made it harder for them than that suggests.