KEY POINTS:
Germany are one major obstacle standing between the New Zealand men's basketball team and a spot in the Beijing Olympics.
The Tall Blacks have drawn the Germans and the relatively unknown Cape Verde of Africa in pool play at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Athens on July 14-20.
Germany boast the National Basketball Association's (NBA) reigning most valuable player Dirk Nowitzki.
Nowitzki and his teammates have become something of a bogey team for the Tall Blacks, beating them during the 2002 world championship campaign that catapulted New Zealand into the world spotlight.
Germany beat New Zealand twice in that tournament, including the bronze medal playoff, and also prevailed in pool play against the Tall Blacks during the 2006 world championship in Japan.
After finishing fifth at last year's European championship, they are currently ranked No 9 in the world, tied with Australia and four spots ahead of the Tall Blacks.
Cape Verde are ranked No 56 in the world, but earned their spot at the qualifying tournament by finishing third at the African championship ahead of more fancied Nigeria and Senegal.
New Zealand must beat one of these opponents to progress to the quarterfinals where they will likely meet either world championship runners-up Greece or a Brazilian team loaded with NBA talent.
Twelve teams - New Zealand from Oceania, Cameroon and Cape Verde from Africa, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Canada from the Americas, Lebanon and Korea from Asia and Greece, Germany, Croatia and Slovenia - will compete for three remaining Games spots in the tournament.
- NZPA
