Basketball: Germans too good - now for Americans

By JENNI RUTHERFORD in Indianapolis

A third-quarter assault by Germany ended New Zealand's aspirations of securing an early cushion through to the quarter-finals, as they went down 84-64 in the second round of the world championships yesterday.

The Tall Blacks will progress to the last eight if they can beat one of their remaining second-round opponents, either the United States today or China tomorrow.

When the Tall Blacks faced the NBA star-studded side at the Sydney Olympics two years ago it was jaw-dropping time, but experience and a new-found confidence has changed all that.

Long-time New Zealand coach and mentor at the time, Keith Mair, said his side in Sydney was awestruck by the prospect of playing a US team for the first time who included NBA superstars Vince Carter, Gary Payton and Jason Kidd.

"They were excited about it. The team then had more of a star quality than the American team here," Mair said.

"It was the first time New Zealand had played the US and against guys that most of the players had only seen on television. There was a fair bit of hero worship."

New Zealand lost 102-56 that day, but are expected to be significantly closer today against a team for whom Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller is the biggest name.

Coach Tab Baldwin has said his team is at the tournament to win and he is taking that attitude into every match.

The goal today, therefore, against a team who have a 57-0 record when NBA players have been in their lineup, was simply "to win," he said.

Yesterday, New Zealand were in touch, trailing 39-32 at halftime.

But the Tall Blacks' game fell away as they scored just 13 points in the third quarter, allowing the Germans to move to a commanding 21-point lead.

"Germany had a great third quarter. They got a great run on us and protected their lead well," Baldwin said.

"We stabilised, but never really made a run. It was frustrating."

Germany were spearheaded by Dallas Mavericks' NBA star Dirk Nowitzki as the height-depleted New Zealanders were shut out to the tune of 27-13 in that third quarter.

Without power forward Sean Marks, out with an eye injury, the German challenge was always going to be tough with their towering forwards.

Marks' prognosis after visiting an eye specialist before yesterday's game gave New Zealand little hope that the country's only NBA player would be involved in the tournament at least before the end of the second round.

The time frame of five days' rest has not changed, although the specialist said the eye was improving, a team spokesman said.

The Tall Blacks held parity through the early stages, with strong work from Dillon Boucher, promoted to the starting lineup in place of Marks, and point guard Mark Dickel.

Germany snatched the lead on the first quarter buzzer at 18-16, and from then on the New Zealanders were chasing.

They finished strongly and never let their heads hang, scoring 19 points to the Germans' 18 in the final quarter, but the game was well gone.

Nowitzki and forward Ademola Okulaja top-scored for the Germans with game highs of 17 points each.

Mithat Demirel, despite leaving the game early with five fouls, hurt the Tall Blacks with four three-pointers to finish the match with 14 points.

Wisconsin University shooting guard Kirk Penney top-scored for the Tall Blacks with 15 points and six rebounds - although crucially he was scoreless in the first and third quarters - and captain Pero Cameron and Phill Jones also hit double figures with 14 and 13 points respectively.

Baldwin rotated his bench, injecting Ed Book into the match with three minutes left in the first quarter.

However, the bench players, Book, Damon Rampton, Judd Flavell, Paul Henare and Rob Hickey, returned only seven points between them.

"It was a tough game for us, I hate those kind of games," Baldwin said.

"We didn't execute very well today. We really wanted to be sharp and for whatever reason we made a lot of plays that were outside the scheme and they didn't come off.

"It was one of those games where our desire to play hard may have got in the way of our to desire to play smart.

"We didn't get the two right."

German coach Henrik Dettmann paid tribute to Baldwin and his team.

"It was a tough game for us, we played against the best-coached team in the competition," he said.

The US beat Russia 106-82 yesterday, led by Paul Pierce's 27 points.

Andre Miller added 18 points and Antonio Davis contributed 13.

Zakhar Pachoutine had 16 points for Russia, while Rouslan Avleev added 11.

In other group F action, Argentina routed China 95-71.

Argentina shot a remarkable 64.3 per cent from the floor. Five players hit double figures.

Brazil rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Angola 86-83 in overtime. They trailed with 8.9s left in regulation time, but Rogerio Klafke made three free throws to tie the score.

Angola had a chance to again level the game in the dying seconds of overtime, but a three-point attempt missed.

- NZPA

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