Basketball: Czechs a stretch for Tall Blacks

By PETER JESSUP

Once again, the Tall Blacks go into an international series facing taller opponents and carrying some injuries.

Their captain Pero Cameron is no certain starter, but forward Ed Book, who also has a long-term calf injury, did at least get on court to score 11 for Nelson as they beat Canterbury on Saturday.

The Tall Blacks will need 2.10m Book in their first test in Christchurch tonight because the Czech Republic have nine players over 2m.

Their 2.12m forward Stanislav Votroubek and the 2.15m centre Ondrej Starosta were two of the better scorers in the three games they have just had against Australia, along with their shortest player, guard Jan Pavlik.

The Czechs have a big advantage, having played that series and a tournament against France and Turkey.

The Tall Blacks, going in cold and with Cameron and Book under a cloud, don't start as the favourites.

The Czechs are saying that they regard the present tour as part of their plan to push into Europe's top echelon.

They are targeting the New Zealand games as the must-win end of their tour, due no doubt to the Tall Blacks' coming fourth in the world championships.

Cameron and Book had to train last night and must pass muster at final shoot-out today if they are to play.

Once that is sorted out, coach Tab Baldwin will reveal which two of the 14-man squad will sit out, but he has hinted that everyone will get a run during the series.

Mark Dickel was appointed captain at the last minute against Hungary last year and would be logical replacement again.

Baldwin will be looking for improvement when the series progresses to Invercargill on Wednesday and Hamilton on Thursday.

The squad's main assignment comes in Australia in September in Olympic qualifying.

The Aussies think so also, said Baldwin, who went to Brisbane to watch the Boomers beat the Czechs 100-79, where he learned that they were tall, fast and skilled.

He wasn't sure whether they gave up in the last quarter, but they led 25-24 at quarter-time and 46-44 at the break, after which they were ground down, struggling with the refereeing calls.

The Boomers went to the penalty stripe 46 times and took 30 points, the Czechs had 22 free-throws for 18.

They were susceptible to defensive hustle, he said.

"We might have some advantage in the hustle of our defence, maybe they'll struggle with the referees here too, they've done all the travelling ... and there's that South Island crowd, we'll take all those advantages because we're going to need them.

"Frankly, I don't expect too polished a performance in our first game."

In camp last week they had focused on gaining cohesion in their systems, introducing newcomers Aaron Olson, Miles Pearce, Michael Tompson, Mike Homik, Brendon Polyblank and Lindsay Tait.

The first four of this group have extensive overseas experience. Tait had some time with the Victoria Giants and was a long-term junior rep, but at 21 is the team rookie.

He provides real spark and would be good off the bench against a tiring visiting team.

Dickel and Henare can run a game well and the Tall Blacks have a brilliant long-range shooter in Phill Jones for when they can't get to the basket.

But without Cameron's bulk in the middle, the options he offers, his distribution and his sheer drive to win, the Czechs are going to be a very tall order indeed.

My prediction: The Czechs in Christchurch, the Tall Blacks in Invercargill and a very close decider in Hamilton.