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The New Zealand men's basketball team will play Venezuela in three home tests as part of the Tall Blacks' build-up for the Oceania Olympic qualifying series against Australia in August.
Basketball New Zealand today confirmed games on July 20 in Napier and July 22 and 24 in Wellington.
"They are a strong team, typically South American and athletic," new Tall Blacks coach Nenad Vucinic said.
"They are primarily trying to prepare for the Americas qualifying tournament for Beijing and are certainly a capable team."
Ranked 21st in the world, nine spots below New Zealand, Venezuela have attended the last two world championships.
The Tall Blacks beat them 98-85 in pool play at Indianapolis five years ago and then over-ran them 100-70 in the build-up to Japan last year.
"That was one of those games -- it was close at halftime, then we managed to run away," Vucinic said of their encounter last year.
Venezuela's star player is guard Oscar Torres, who has played for Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association league (NBA), is now with reigning Euroleague champions CSKA Moscow.
The series will be Vucinic's first in charge of the national team after six years assisting predecessor Tab Baldwin.
After the series both teams will leave for the Boris Stankovic Cup in China, where they will face the host country, Slovenia, Angola and the NBA Development League All-Stars.
The Tall Blacks then move on to Europe and then Australia for the Oceania series on August 20-24.
NZ v Venezuela
July 20: Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier, 7pm
July 22: TSB Bank Arena, Wellington, 3pm
July 24: TSB Bank Arena, Wellington, 7pm.
- NZPA
