Basketball: Tall Blacks short on team work says coach

Lindsay Tait scores for the Tall Blacks in their test match against India at North Shore Events Centre. Picture Martin Sykes

Tall Blacks 96 India 70

Tall Ferns 101 India 50

Tall Ferns coach Mike McHugh believes his team couldn't be any more prepared, but Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin still had concerns yesterday over his team's build-up for the Commonwealth Games.

They go to Melbourne today having completed clean sweeps over India in an international series in Auckland.

But despite the series win, which was over a team ranked 31 places below them, Baldwin was still concerned about his team's preparation.

Unlike the Tall Ferns, who have spent a considerable amount of time as a team in the lead-up to the Games, Baldwin's players, who are scattered throughout the world, have only just come together.

"We don't expect to fail but, in saying that, it is difficult to assemble and train a team in a short period of time and it is even more difficult to develop chemistry," Baldwin said.

"Fortunately there is a lot of continuity in the personnel. They know each other very well and there is already good chemistry but we have to develop a playing chemistry.

"There were signs today that it is coming along but it is kind of crazy to have only six or seven trainings before you play a major international tournament. You can't possibly be at your best with this level of training."

Following their 95-62 and 102-69 victories in the first two games, the Tall Blacks' power and speed got the better of the Indians again yesterday.

Ahead 30-15 at the first break, they extended their advantage to 52-22 at halftime but fell away in the second half.

"In the second half we wanted to use our zone a bit more. We haven't used it much in the series and it was evident we had not used it much.

"They began to shoot the ball and we gave them them too many open shots," Baldwin said.

Like the Tall Blacks, defence was a focal point for the Tall Ferns in yesterday's match. Struggling to find the hoop in the early stages of the game, they bagged a succession of points just before the first quarter break to lead 19-8 .

From then on the Indians had no answer for the Tall Ferns' bruising defence and confident offence.

The fearless Angela Marino was the Ferns' top points scorer with 16. Jessica McCormack, 16, had a strong game on attack and defence and was the top rebounder with 18.

"Any time you play an international team, if you can keep them to 50 points defensively you are doing a pretty good job," McHugh said.

"I think our core value will be built around that and certainly that will be the stamp of our team, especially when you are playing teams like the Australians."