Basketball: Rugged rivalry likely on court

Dillon Boucher training yesterday at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere City. Picture / Brett Phibbs

The Tall Blacks and Australian Boomers are not shying away from the suggestion that tonight's Oceania series opener may be more like rugby.

Boomers co-captain CJ Bruton yesterday labelled New Zealand as the most physical team he'd played.

Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron, who is renowned as one of their most physical players, turned up his lip at the suggestion they'd given it all they had physically during Friday's encounter in Sydney.

That was a warm-up, he said. They'd had intensity in patches, but the 84-74 result was disappointing.

The results of the four-way tournament - Australia's win over New Zealand and victories by both teams over China and Lithuania - meant nothing in the wider context. But it clearly meant something to the Tall Blacks to lose to Australia with what they considered a disappointing effort.

They will most likely be without shooting star Kirk Penney at Trusts Stadium tonight in the first of the three-match series against Australia. He did not train yesterday.

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian said he expected the Tall Blacks to go after point guard Bruton after he scored 32 against them in Sydney. The Boomers have been trialling Glen Saville and Mark Worthington out of position at point because their depth is down through player unavailability and injury.

They have dropped Peter Crawford from the team that played the four-nations tournament and added Brad Newly, who is fresh from the Crocs' semifinals finish at the world under-21 championships. The Tall Blacks are unchanged from the tournament team.

The Aussies still carry bitter memories of 2001, when they agree they took New Zealand lightly and paid the price, missing the one Oceania spot available at the 2002 world championships in Indianapolis.

World governing body FIBA has since expanded the world championship format from 16 teams to 24 for the competition in Japan next year and two Oceania teams will be admitted, not least because New Zealand have proved themselves competitive.

Goorjian admitted the Australian Olympic push at Athens had been hurt by missing the championships in 2002. He did not want to concede psychological advantage to New Zealand for the Commonwealth Games, the higher seeding at the world championships or any advantage at them.

Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin said the higher seeding was a big motivation.

The coaches paid each other due regard and it's clear there is respect among players and coaching staff. But there will be no love lost on court. "Their culture is physical, ours is physical, consequently we get physical matches," Baldwin said during the week.

Goorjian wasn't shying away from that. New Zealand and Australia played that way, it was good for development of the game generally and that was how they had to take it to the Europeans and other teams so as to have an element of difference.

He had no qualms about the officiating.

"Last time we came down here it was fair - they let a lot go but it was both ways. I don't see the officials deciding anything."

New Zealand are not so sure, asking FIBA to remove Dallas Pickering from the three-man team which includes one local referee, one Australian and an independent, from Finland.

Pickering, born in Australia, is a long-term resident and referee here who has represented New Zealand as a referee at the Olympics.

Oceania series

Tonight, Trusts Stadium, Henderson, 7.30pm.
Saturday, TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre, Manukau, 3pm.
Sunday, Edgar Centre, Dunedin, 3pm.

The teams

NZ Tall Blacks: Pero Cameron (c), Mark Dickel, Aaron Olson, Lindsay Tait, Kirk Penney, Mike Homik, Phill Jones, Dillon Boucher, Mika Vukona, Ed Book, Craig Bradshaw, Tony Rampton.

Australian Boomers: CJ Bruton (c-c), Glen Saville (c-c), Pero Vasiljevic, Jacob Homes, Brad Newly, Alex Laughton, Brad Davidson, Jason Smith, Mark Worthington, David Andersen, Matt Neilsen, Wade Helliwell.