Slam dunk: Cold start for Tall Ferns on road to Olympics

By PETER JESSUP

The Tall Ferns are going in cold for their best-of-three Olympic qualifying series against Australia's Opals, especially when compared with the build-up of their opponents.

The New Zealanders are spread far and wide - many are playing in Australia - and do not meet until next Monday before Friday night's first test.

Coach Carrie Graf joins the team in Melbourne and they go into camp at the first test venue in Launceston, Tasmania, for the week. The second and third tests will be played at Devonport in northern Tasmania.

The Ferns have had a couple of camps in New Zealand, but they have had no warm-up competition and their preparation does not compare to that of the Opals, who are on tour in Europe, where they have beaten Belgium and Greece, lost to Hungary and Russia and are playing a tournament in France with the host nation and Hungary.

Tall Ferns: Megan Compain, Rebecca Cotton, Gina Farmer, Sally Farmer, Adrianne Gilbert, Aneka Kerr, Donna Loffhagen, Julie Ofsoski, Jody Tini, Tania Tupu, Leanne Walker, Kim Wielens. Coach: Carrie Graf, assistant coach Kirstin Daly.

Opals: Suzy Batkovic, Natalie Porter, Jodie Datson, Trisha Fallon, Carla Boyd, Michelle Brogan, Rachael Sporn, Belinda Snell, Maria Tranquilli, Kristen Veal.

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BOX BOX BOX

Most national league teams are hunting for players and some for coaches, notably Waikato, who appear almost certain to lose Jeff Green to the Breakers.

It has been widely suggested that Green is about to pick up the reins of a revamped Waitakere franchise. That seems to be associated with the interest the Breakers' owner, Proteam Holdings, is showing in reviving the west Auckland outfit.

But Breakers part-owner and chief executive Michael Redman said it was difficult to see how one coach could do two jobs.

Green has said that if he stays in the NBL, he would prefer to stay in Waikato with the Titans.

Redman said Proteam was not completely against the idea, but a lot more investigation was needed.

A decision would be made on Green's availability closer to Christmas.

Waikato stand to lose the structure Green built if he goes.

He has a good relationship with Pero Cameron, and if Cameron goes, others would follow.

Waikato Basketball chief executive John Davey has started negotiations to retain Cameron, not just for his individual play and player pulling-power, but because of his programme for the association in schools and junior development.

"Pero is our No 1 target. We believe he will stay," Davey said.

Auckland will stick with Kenny Stone.

He and the Stars management are already in discussions, and Stone wants to keep most of the team intact.

The Breakers' signing of import Casey Frank will aid the Stars in keeping him.

Stone said the Stars would look for another point guard and for juniors to provide depth, but were otherwise happy with the squad, which will be reinforced by the return of Daniel Barritt, who was out for most of the season after knee repair.



North Harbour look likely to retain Colin Driscoll.

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Basketball New Zealand is to host a coaching seminar aimed at exposing lower-level coaches to Australasia's best mentors in the game.

Presenters for the seminar, in Wellington from October 25 to 27, will be Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin, Mike McHugh and Tom Maher from this season's NBL title-winners, Saints, and Australian women's head coach Jan Stirling.