Basketball: Shortie team thinking tall

New Zealand are one of the shortest teams at the world championships starting in Indianapolis this morning.

So it's no surprise their best chance of creating waves rests with their little men.

Only minnows Algeria and Lebanon have shorter lineups than the Tall Blacks.

But if New Zealand are to upset opening opponents Russia this morning - or any of the other 15 teams - it will probably be through the direction of point guard Mark Dickel and the outside shooting of Phill Jones and Kirk Penney.

Without injured centre Tony Rampton, the Tall Blacks can call only on Pero Cameron and Sean Marks as consistent inside scoring threats, and they will concede plenty of centimetres to opposing behemoths under the basket.

The Tall Blacks are expected to start with Dickel, Jones, Penney, Cameron and Marks.

Only Marks is more than 2m tall, and the introduction of Dillon Boucher as likely first substitute does not increase the size factor.

Coach Tab Baldwin predicted other teams would expect a fast, open style from the Tall Blacks although his team could capitalise if the defensive heat was applied to Dickel, Jones and Penney.

"There's no question we have one of the strong back courts of the world championships," he said.

"Mark is always improving and the shooting prowess of Phill and Kirk has been much commented on and will continue to be.

"Other teams will do their best to limit their scoring options, but we have guys like Pero and Sean who can step into the void that will be created. If the defence focuses too much on them it will give us other chances."

New Zealand would try to make up for physical deficiencies by playing with intensity, with and without the ball.

"A lot of our offensive strength relies on the back court, and we've also got some guys who are pretty good to back them up," Baldwin said.

"Paul Henare and Judd Flavell are going to get plenty of minutes.

"They have to do the job as well, because we can't afford to have let-downs."

Baldwin said Dickel could provide a point of difference with his speed. He was desperate to play his part in helping New Zealand to advance through the first group phase.

"I believe that if we can get out of our section and into the second phase, that would be our greatest accomplishment," he said.

"If we can achieve that, we would have proved that we really deserve to be there.

"The experience of playing at the Sydney Olympics will help us a lot. International competition at that level was new to us, and we hadn't faced most of the teams we matched up with.

"Australia finished fourth in Sydney and we beat them last year. So we've got a chance to be up there."

Today, New Zealand must contain veteran Russian guard Serguei Tchikalkine, and handle probably the most athletic player in Europe, 2.05m power forward Andrei Kirilenko.

Baldwin has been studying Russia's style intently, just as the Europeans have been dissecting New Zealand.

Russia present a formidable challenge. They were runners-up at the last two world champs and the Soviet Union won medals at all nine previous tournaments, dating back to 1963.

"There aren't many surprises any more," Baldwin said.

"We have watched on video most of the games that Russia has played in the past six months, and I expect they will have scouted us. But we have tried to keep a few things up our sleeve."

Baldwin expected Russia to play an up-tempo but not overly structured game, allowing players such as Kirilenko freedom.

"When Russia play they are relaxed and comfortable with what they are doing, which comes from experience."

Baldwin expects his players to be nervous before the start.

"I'll be nervous. But we'll just have to put that behind us quickly and realise this is a very experienced nation that we're playing.

"We're comfortable with what Russia presents to us in the way of problems, and we'll have in our mind a way to counter it. It's just a matter of executing.

"We're going to have to get our wits about us very quickly and get down to business."

If New Zealand are to finish third in their four-team group and go into the top-12 second phase, they will almost certainly have to win their second game against Venezuela on Saturday morning.

The South Americans have Houston Rockets veteran Oscar Torres and several talented youngsters in their lineup, making even that match a challenge.

The final group game is against highly rated Argentina on Sunday morning.

New Zealand squad:

Centres: Ed Book, Robert Hickey.

Forwards: Pero Cameron, Sean Marks, Dillon Boucher, Damon Rampton.

Guards: Mark Dickel, Phill Jones, Kirk Penney, Judd Flavell, Paul Henare, Paora Winitana.

- NZPA