Basketball: Dickel back with the Tall Blacks

The Tall Blacks have welcomed Mark Dickel back into the side ahead of tip off in the Four Nations basketball tournament in Australia tonight.

The New Zealanders arrived in Perth on Sunday with Dickel joining the squad late last night from the United States.

Coach Tab Baldwin says it is great to have him back, but they will be managing him cautiously.

He says Dickel will probably get some game time but it will take a while for him to get up to speed.

Baldwin is predicting another tight series with the opening game against China.

The Tall Blacks are not expecting too many surprises with the Chinese expected to play a similar type of game to what his side saw on the recent tour.

That opening clash is followed by Lithuania tomorrow night, and Australia in Sydney on Friday.

Baldwin says based on previous form, there should be some close games, with the teams pretty evenly matched and on any given day each team could knock each other over.

- NEWSTALK ZB