Basketball: Tall Ferns find top form in match against Brazil

CANBERRA - The New Zealand women's basketball team reached new heights in pushing the powerful Brazilians before going down 64-84 in Canberra.

"We definitely played the best game of our Olympic buildup," said coach Carl Dickel.

"Against the quality of Brazil we did as positive a job as we could and the players can be proud of it.

"I think they're taking a lot of heart from it.

"We've just got to work on getting a little bit better in certain areas and we can improve again."

The mood in the camp was a little dispirited after the Tall Ferns were outclassed 42-78 by Australia on Saturday.

But the subsequent outstanding form of the Australians against other international opponents, and the performance against Brazil, had restored some confidence.

While Brazil led from the start, the New Zealanders never let them get out of sight.

But whenever the Tall Ferns threatened to level the scores, the South Americans would net a string of three-pointers to pull away.

Forty-five of their points came from three-point shots.

"We improved on the Australian match offensively but we still missed a lot of shots that we can make, and for us to be more competitive," Dickel said.

"We've just got to make those ones that we aren't getting."

The most successful of the New Zealand shooters was utility Rebecca Cotton, with 19.

She received good support from Gina Farmer (14), Tania Brunton (9) and Donna Loffhagen (8).

The Tall Ferns shift to Sydney on Tuesday and it appears almost certain they will play Canada in a final warmup game the next day before playing in their first match of the Games, against Poland, on Saturday.

Brazil 84 New Zealand 64, (Cotton 19, Farmer 14, Brunton 9, Loffhagen 8). Halftime: Brazil 44-32.

- NZPA