Peter Jessup: Baldwin clings to secrets

Tab Baldwin doesn't like the fact he must show some of his hand against Australia in a tournament next week that counts for little. Because just a week later they play the Oceania Series that means a lot.

The Tall Blacks and Boomers are pretty well guaranteed places at the 2006 world championships in Japan after international body FIBA gave Oceania a second spot.

Seeding is at stake. So is pride and psychological advantage for Japan and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games before that.

Baldwin admits he is in two minds about playing the Boomers in the four-way tournament with China and Lithuania. The opportunity to scout opponents is a real advantage but the risk of being scouted by them is a real problem too.

"I'll be hoping not to expose our opposition to everything we can and want to do during the Oceania championships.

"I don't mind running our systems against China and Lithuania and having the Aussies watching," Baldwin says.

The teams knew each other's style well, as did he and Boomers' coach Brian Goorjian.

"There's not a lot of secrets. But I don't like playing them before the series.

"We will try not to use everything we've got against them - you get a real feel for a team when you play against them."

There is "all kinds of psychology running around this game", he says of the encounter with the Boomers in Sydney next Friday.

"I don't know what [approach] is right. Do we not worry about who wins and loses the game? The winners would undoubtedly take confidence from victory and defeat might play on the minds of the losers. Or it might motivate, knowing they had something in reserve.

"Ask me now and I'm saying I won't throw everything in. Ask me next week when I'm on the sideline and it might be different. But I know the players won't take it easy."

There has been an edgy intensity in trainings at Trusts Stadium this week, with Baldwin and senior players having to keep the peace between team-mates as tempers flared.

"They get a bit grumpy with one another, they need a game," the coach says. "We want them to stay competitive, they get testy at times. It's a fine line for a coach."

There is more competition for places in the Tall Blacks now than there has been for some time. Players who have been educated in the United States have added to the pool of those available. The average height of the team is increasing. There is now a solid core with extensive international experience and the bulk are in their mid-to-late-20s.

Baldwin feels the team gelled quickly during its China trip, despite having to fire up the veterans.

"In China we came together very quickly. The calibre of the opposition was tough - to beat China in China is huge, especially by such a big score [90-69] - it's really one of our great victories."

The Tall Blacks have had 18 players in camp including young up-and-comers Mika Vukona from Nelson and the Breakers, Thomas Abercrombie, Leon Henry and Brent Charleton from the Harbour Heat, Callum McLeod from Wellington and schooling in the States.

Veteran Kirk Penney is impressed. "It's exciting for New Zealand basketball. If they pick up on the feeling and the family atmosphere in the team it will be good down the track."