Basketball: Four Giants in team for games in Sydney

The Nelson Giants provide a quarter of the New Zealand men's basketball team for next week's pre-Olympic tournament in Sydney.

Guards Nenad Vucinic, Phill Jones and Ralph Lattimore, along with centre Tony Rampton, were among the 12 players named yesterday by coach Keith Mair.

While Mair said this squad would form the basis of his Olympic team he has not finally shut the door on other hopefuls.

Mair said he would reselect for the William Jones tournament in July and again for the Sydney games in September.

Mair said the final choice was almost a coin toss at a couple of positions and several players were desperately unlucky to miss out.

The Tall Blacks will play in the national league this weekend before in the early hours of Monday.

The Sydney tournament begins with a test against Canada on Tuesday. New Zealand will also have games against Russia and Australia.

New Zealand: Nenad Vucinic, Phill Jones, Ralph Lattimore, Tony Rampton (all Nelson), Paul Henare, Pero Cameron (Auckland), Chris Tupu (Waikato), Kirk Penney, Brad Riley (North Harbour), Sean Marks (Toronto Raptors), Pete Pokai (Wellington), Robert Hickey (Otago).

-NZPA

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