Basketball: Tall Blacks hit pay dirt

By PETER JESSUP

Basketball New Zealand was rewarded for the Tall Blacks' impressive world championship campaign yesterday with promises of increased commitment from sponsors, Sparc and television.

Best of all, fans will be treated to a home tour by the Czech Republic in July which will be used as preparation for the Tall Blacks' World Cup campaign in Turkey in August.

TVNZ hosted the official launch of the National League season yesterday in recognition of its new four-year deal, which will include live coverage of 11 NBL games this season and a highlights package every week.

The broadcaster and BBNZ have also agreed terms for the Tall Blacks' and Tall Ferns' coverage through to 2007, which includes the Athens Olympics, the 2006 world championships and probably the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Sparc confirmed an investment of $1.4 million, most to go to the elite athlete programme.

Burger King signed on as National League and team sponsors.

Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin said the challenge for the sport now was to avoid reliving the success of last year, or it would not be repeated.

Baldwin said he had been inundated with approaches from players overseas who had New Zealand parentage or passports, players no one in basketball here had ever heard of, who wanted to be part of the Tall Blacks' campaign to Athens, the next world champs and Melbourne.

Some are tall - the Tall Blacks' problem being lack of size. Some had had experience at United States college or European club level.

Baldwin acknowledged the interest was indicative of the extra attention paid to the sport after the Tall Blacks' four wins from nine appearances at Indianapolis last year.

He said the trick for basketball now was to retain that interest.

Meanwhile, the Tall Ferns hold their second training camp under new coach Carrie Graf over Easter. Team member Sally Farmer said that all the squad were learning under the Australian import.

Team practices had run to seven or more hours over a day, but time flew, something she said, she hadn't experienced before.