Basketball ref in demand

Masterton-based basketball referee Andy Thackray is on a roll.
The Wairarapa College teacher has prime national and international appointments to fulfil over the next two months, starting with the NBL men's semi-final match between the Auckland Stars and the Wellington Saints at North Shore on Saturday.
It's not the first time the Englishman has controlled a semi-final at this level but he is yet to officiate in a final and is hoping to rectify that situation in 2006.
Whether that happens won't be known after until Saturday so Thackray is keen for a top performance there to further advance his claims.
"I dare say they have some idea already what referees will be doing the finals but it's like playing, if you do well you have a better chance of making it " he said.
Mid-July will see Thackray accompanying the New Zealand Tall Blacks as travelling referee as they continue their preparation for the world championships.
First up will be two tests against the Boomers in Australia and then it will be on to Argentina and Brazil. The Argentinians are the current Olympic champions and the Tall Blacks will have four tests against them while in Brazil they will take part in a four-team tournament also involving Argentina, Brazil and Venezuala.
For Thackray it's the second successive year he has been travelling referee with the Tall Blacks ?V accompanying them to China last year ?V and he's looking forward to again officiating in matches featuring world class opposition.
"Basketball is a huge sport in South America and the standard of teams from that part of the world is very high," he said. "They get a huge following so the atmosphere at the games should be amazing."
Once that demanding assignment is completed Thackray will then turn his attention to controlling matches at the under-19 Oceania world championship qualifying tournament in Nowra, Australia an event which gets underway in early August
???nMeanwhile, Wairarapa College have gone down 42-85 to Palmerston North Boys High in their latest match in the Manawatu secondary schoolboys premier basketball league.
With the McFadzeans, Lachie and Corrie, both out with injury it was always going to be a tough match for Wairarapa College which had lost earlier in the season to PNBHS B team.
The first quarter saw Wairarapa College playing controlled basketball and breaking down the PNBHS press, with Joel Ryland justifying his first start for the season by combining well with Peter Beech in offensive play. Andy Cameron also impressed when he came off the reserve bench with the physical nature of his game and at the end of the quarter Wairarapa trailed by just the five goals, 12-17.
Unforced errors crept into the Wairarapa College performance in the second quarter with too much possession being turned over. So whereas they struggled to score PNBHS demonstrated their class with some slick passing and excellent finishing work..
There was though some good offensive rebounding for Wairarapa College by Zane Hopman and Joe Beech made the most of his open shots. His older brother Peter shone on defence, closing out the biggest player in the opposition team to a large degree.At halftime PNBHS led 33-20.
The third quarter saw PNBHS go to a zone defence with great effect and they totally destroyed the confidence of the Wairarapa College side, who resorted to poor options and continued to make too many unforced errors.
No matter what combination of players was on court they seemed able to execute their game plan and find players in space with their passes. This quarter was probably the worst on record for Wairarapa College who managed just three points in comparison to their opposition's 26.
Wairarapa College did show some improvement in the fourth and final quarter with some slick passing from Peter Beech setting up some good attacking plays, but too often they failed to make the most of easy open lay ups under the basket. Opportunity was taken to give valuable court time to bench players Ryan McKenna, Pat Topham, Joe Beech and Wiremu Grace and they will benefit from the experience.
Despite the final scoreline there were some positives for Wairarapa College though. Joe Beech again showed the progress he has made since joining the senior squad, Joel Ryland justified his inclusion in the starting five with some good offensive moves and after initial frustration Peter Beech produced his best defenbsive effort of the year.
For coach Thackray the disappointing aspect of the Wairarapa College effort was their inability to respond to pressure with simple instructions not being followed.
With no Manawatu competition game this Friday the Wairarapa College side will play a Wairarapa senior men's rep squad at the Wairarapa College gymnasium at 7.30pm.
Then during the second week of the school holidays they will be in Hawke's Bay for matches against formidable opposition in Hastings Boy High and St Johns College.
While in the Bay they will also take in the action when the Tall Blacks take on the Australian Boomers at the Pettigrew Green Arena on Wednesday, July 12