Basketball: Tall Black prospects put to the test

By PETER JESSUP

More than a hundred young New Zealanders go up against the best in Asia and Australia this week, as Basketball New Zealand builds a programme to take players to Tall Blacks level.

National coach Tab Baldwin is overseeing the 120 members of under-14, under-16 and under-18 boys and girls sides, who have had a week-long buildup at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Today they begin tournament play at the annual Country Cup Carnival at Albury-Wodonga, on the New South Wales border.

All Australian states send teams, and this year China is represented.

Baldwin said the programme offered talented players the opportunity for international exposure and a pathway to the top level, while revealing the hard work required to get there.

Negotiations to to secure international games for the Tall Blacks ahead of the world championships at Indianapolis in August continue.

China will tour, and Australia have agreed to a four-way contest involving the Chinese and South Koreans, probably in July, but with a date yet to be set.

After the national league finals in early August, the Tall Blacks squad will go to Europe, where tests in Germany are likely.

Baldwin wants the final team of 12 camped near Indianapolis for a week before the world tournament starts.

pfHe has all prospects on a world championships build-up and is in regular contact with the overseas-based players.

A significant date looms for Miami Heat back-up centre/guard Sean Marks, as NBA sides are required to finalise squads to 15 players by today.

Baldwin said Marks, lately placed on the Heat injury list, needed more court time. The Heat have eight wins from 26 games. Marks has not been used since December.