Basketball: Tall Blacks at base camp of long climb

By DAVID LEGGAT

Mission under way, but the hard work lies ahead.

That's Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin's assessment of the state of play after the three-game series against Australia ended yesterday, with the Athens Olympics looming large in the distance.

Like a mountaineer peering up at Everest, the Tall Blacks are sitting at base camp, the initial groundwork having been done and the big steps in front of them.

The 2-1 series loss left Baldwin disappointed but far from downhearted.

He has had his squad through what he called "an unbelievably rugged" 11-day camp and is relishing the prospect of a couple of days off.

The second test win over the Boomers in Christchurch offered real encouragement.

Yesterday's loss at Stadium Southland was a downer, although the spirit displayed by a group of tired players as they fought back from a nightmare start, was heartening.

But this was not the time to sit back, Baldwin added.

"We've accomplished an awful lot ... But this is a time to look at what else we need to accomplish.

"Playing Australia is not like playing against the European style or American style of basketball.

"Those are the things we have to go through, the learning process, and that's what the buildup is all about.

"August 15 is still the day that matters," Baldwin said, referring to the opening of the Olympic programme.

Baldwin singled out 20-year-old Craig Bradshaw as the big success story of the series.

The 2.05m forward, based at Winthrop University in South Carolina, was making giant strides.

"He's a tough kid with a huge amount of talent and he picks things up well. As he gets more comfortable we'll see his attitude and skill come to the fore even more," he said.

The Olympic squad will be finalised today.

The exact leadup programme for the Tall Blacks is still being worked through, but Baldwin said potentially there were two games in the United States and four in Europe - "and we'll keep beating the bushes for a couple more".

Ideally he would like between 10-15 games as leadup, including the three Australian internationals.

There is good news for Baldwin from his American-based pair Sean Marks and Kirk Penney.

Marks, with the San Antonio Spurs, will join the squad on July 22, and Penney, playing for Minnesota Timberwolves in the American summer league, about four days later.

Australian coach Brian Goorjian, who admitted losing the deciding test would have been a disaster for his team, said the respect his team had for the Tall Blacks was enhanced by events over the past three days.

"They push each other on the floor, then pull each other up and have a beer together."

He insisted that if a patronising attitude had existed within Australian basketball for New Zealand it had long gone.

Both coaches pressed for more transtasman games and recognised the advantages for both countries. And the good news in a burgeoning relationship is that they are due to meet again next year in qualifying for the 2006 world championships.

The Tall Blacks' Olympic schedule

August 15: v Italy

August 17: v China

August 19: v Serbia and Montenegro

August 21: v Argentina

August 23: v Spain