Basketball: Transtasman rivals ready to join forces

MELBOURNE - Hours after their players elbowed and growled at each other on court, New Zealand and Australian officials were joining forces to decide how to best approach next year's Athens Olympics.

Officials from Basketball New Zealand and its Australian counterpart cast any transtasman animosity aside yesterday to discuss how both countries can help each other prepare for Greece.

The main goal is to implement a joint programme that lures top quality European opposition down-under to play both the Tall Blacks and Australia's Boomers, who completed a clean sweep in the Oceania championship with an 84-75 win in the third test on Thursday night.

Basketball Australia and BBNZ have traditionally found it difficult to attract Northern Hemisphere opposition because of the costs and travel involved.

"The best sides are in Europe but they can move from place to place in a couple of hours to play. To come down here some of the players would have to travel 30-40 hours and they might not want to do that in an Olympic year," said BBNZ chief executive David Crocker.

On a positive note, Crocker hoped the Tall Blacks' fourth placing at last year's world championships and the Boomers apparent resurgence would convince the Europeans that the quality of opposition would justify the journey.

Crocker and Basketball Australia chief executive Scott Derwin held preliminary discussions on how both organisations could finance a tour of both countries via a telephone conference yesterday.

Transtasman co-operation is likely to extend to the coaching staff with Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin ready to turn foe into friend in a bid to ensure the Oceania region protects it's reputation in Athens.

Baldwin wants to team up with fellow American and Boomers' counterpart Brian Goorjian to help both teams prepare for the Olympics. "Now we've fought on the court Brian and I have to sit down and see how we can help each other," Baldwin said.

He said he was prepared to exchange information on European opposition, even if it could benefit their closest rivals.

"Hopefully both of us place highly in Athens but one of us really needs to protect our zone's reputation because politically we are a tiny blip in the world of basketball.

"We have to share information. We have done a little bit of that but Brian and I have said we'll do more in the future."

Baldwin said it was not appropriate to rub shoulders before the series but the time was right now.

"There's been a lot at stake in this series. There's been friendly overtures, we know each other well enough to say let's fight this fight as heated enemies and then sit down to work together."

Baldwin said the two camps could share video footage, scouting reports, analyse each other's tactics and even share strategies.

The Tall Blacks are still finalising their pre-Olympics programme but Baldwin expected to again head north.

"It's almost certain we'll bang heads in Europe but we would hope for some more games against Australia."

Crocker said the pre-Olympic schedule would be firmed up following consultation with Baldwin and senior players, probably over the next 10 days.

* New Zealand captain Pero Cameron is in doubt for the start of the Breakers season in the Australian NBL on October 1. He strained knee ligaments in Thursday night's game.

- NZPA