Henare's men up for one final World Cup qualifying challenge

MBO Tall Blacks Head Coach Paul Henare is approaching his teams final FIBA World Cup Qualifying game with Jordan on Monday morning NZT just as he has every other game on the road to China, with the intention of doing the black singlet proud.

The team has arrived in Jordan the day after overcoming Lebanon in a pulsating and draining encounter in front of a full-house in Beirut, knowing that they face a similar assignment in what is expected to be another sell-out in Amman.

Jordan flexed their muscles in a superb win over China on Saturday, emphasizing just how much they have improved with additional players to their roster and with each game they have played in qualifying. That win and New Zealands defeat of Lebanon means a win for Jordan would confirm them in third place in the Group and earn a spot at the World Cup in China.

"Jordan is a very different team to the one we beat in New Zealand," said Henare. "They have added some strong players to their roster and as shown against China, they are finding their best form at the end of the qualifying programme.

"Just as we did on Saturday and just as we have in every game however, we will be doing all we can to earn another win and do the singlet proud. We have long said our goal is to qualify with as high a seeding as we can and ten wins in a row has given us a shot at top seeding out of Asia so we have plenty to play for."

The team will be led by Tom Abercrombie, in the absence of Mika Vukona and Rueben Te Rangi, who along with Alex Pledger have been released back to their clubs to prepare for the NBL play offs.

The Breakers swingman was one of a number of players to relish the white-hot atmosphere in Beirut and will no doubt be up for another challenge in front of an equally passionate home crowd on Sunday afternoon local time.

"This is what we play for, to experience that sort of atmosphere in a game that meant so much, that will be a memory that stays with me for a long time," said Abercrombie. "But now we get to go again, it is a short turnaround and we have spent the day travelling, but overcoming the odds is what we are used to as Tall Blacks.

"We enjoy a special brotherhood in this team, maybe that is due a little to the obstacles that are sometimes put in our way, but we will draw on that and be ready again tomorrow to give our all for the singlet, for each other and for everyone following us at home."

The match is live streamed on
www.maoritelevision.com with tip off at 3:30am Monday morning NZT.

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Basketball New Zealand