Basketball: Olympics bring a halt to Tall Black's winning streak

A nine-match unbeaten streak came to an abrupt end today when the New Zealand men's basketball team were outclassed 76-50 in their Olympic debut by France.

The Tall Blacks' impressive form this year, which included winning the William Jones Cup in Taiwan and a three-test clean sweep against England, counted for little as they failed to cope with the step up in competition.

New Zealand started well, leading France early in the match and level-pegging with the fourth-placed team in this year's European championships, midway through the first half.

A similarly strong finish, however, could not atone for a poor return 10 minutes either side of halftime when the French ran away with the game.

``I think we let ourselves down,'' New Zealand coach Keith Mair told NZPA.

``We started very emotionally with a lot of adrenalin and started celebrating a bit because we'd started well and totally lost concentration.

``The team's we're playing are of a standard that you just can't give them a 10-point break on you that early in the game.''

From 15-15 after 10 minutes of play the Tall Blacks managed only another eight points before the break to trail 38-23 at halftime. France extended their lead to as much as 33-points during the second spell before New Zealand showed better form over the closing stages.

Mair considers the 12-strong New Zealand team one of the biggest he has assembled in 12 years of coaching the national side but the Tall Blacks still lacked the overall height to foot it with France at both ends of the court.

The height factor could not be used as the total reason for the Tall Blacks' shooting percentages which were woefully low.

Former Toronto Raptor Sean Marks, still looking for a team to play for next season, was the pick of the New Zealand team scoring 12 points and picking up seven rebounds. Ralph Lattimore and Pero Cameron followed with eight points.

``Our objective is really to keep the score close and try and put them under pressure,'' Mair said. ''If they (opposition) are not under pressure they're going to hit everything because they're great players.

``It's a question of team discipline. They have to understand that to compete at this level all 12 players have got to be on the same page at the same time.''

Three players got into double figures for France, forward Yann Bonato top-scoring with a game-high 16. The French were far from accurate but found their target more readily when the New Zealand effort fell away in the middle spell.

The Tall Blacks next play Asian champions China on Tuesday.

Scores:

France 76 (Y Bonato 16, C Julian 12, L Foirest 10) New Zealand 50 (S Marks 12, R Lattimore 8, P Cameron 8).

- NZPA