Basketball: Tall Blacks quarterfinal hopes dashed

9.25pm UPDATE

ATHENS - The New Zealand men's basketball team came within four points of a chance of remaining in the medal hunt at the Olympics after a devastating 84-88 loss to Spain today.

New Zealand needed to inflict a first loss of the tournament on the Spaniards and for other group A results to fall their way in order to gain a quarterfinal spot.

The Tall Blacks are still reliant on the rest of the day's results to see whether they will now play off for last place or whether they can finish as high as ninth.

It was another exhilarating ride for New Zealand basketball fans as the Tall Blacks looked down and out against a side that boasts one of the National Basketball Association's (NBA's) hottest talents in 2.15m forward Pau Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies).

Spain were also European Championships runners-up to Lithuania -- who upset the United States here on Saturday, and are one of the teams tipped for gold.

Dillon Boucher tied the scores for the first time in New Zealand's crucial final preliminary game at 81-81 with two minutes 40 seconds to play.

Gasol hit a three-pointer to make it 86-81 in Spain's favour with less than two minutes to play but Pero Cameron matched him bringing the Tall Blacks within two and a chance of the quarterfinals.

It came down to the wire, when Gasol's shot bounced off the backboard and New Zealand had possession.

Kirk Penney's three-point attempt hit the rim and when Boucher rugby tackled Carlos Jimenez with 12 seconds left, the chance of New Zealand staying in the medal round had gone.

New Zealand made it difficult for themselves from the onset when Spain gained as much as a 10-point advantage in the first quarter.

Trailing 11-19 at the end of the period, the Tall Blacks set about getting back into the game.

They were hit by a torrent of three-point shots as Spain rained seven from beyond the arc.

Pero Cameron and Kirk Penney traded big shots with the Spaniards during a sequence of five consecutive three pointers, but every time the Tall Blacks looked to have their opposition within their grasp, Spain would wriggle free with a towering three.

Things looked ominous at halftime with New Zealand behind by 11 points -- 37-48.

Never a team to be counted out, the Tall Blacks lead by Mark Dickel, Phill Jones and Cameron doggedly worked at a deficit that was as daunting as 14 points in the third quarter.

They were within one point of the European Championships silver medallists with 2min 20sec to go and were 68-73 in arrears heading into the final 10 minutes.

The fourth quarter was frantic as New Zealand, desperate not to end their second Olympic medal campaign here, threw everything they had at their talented opponents.

Ed Book said the team were bitterly disappointed to come so close to a chance to contest the top eight and try to emulate their fourth place finish in Indianapolis two years ago.

"It was another tough game for us," he said.

"We had our opportunities but it didn't go our way once again.

"Spain are a top-class team. They came out in the first half and shot a number of great threes and we came out and just missed our opportunities," he said.

"It is disheartening. The guys gave it their all and that's all we can ask."

Jones, who has had a stand-out tournament, scored the game high with 23 points, while Cameron made an 18 point and nine rebound contribution.

Sean Marks finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Spain shared around their court-time with five players making it to double figures.

Jorge Garbajosa made 17 points, while Rodolfo Fernandez came off the bench to score 15.

New Zealand must wait until after Serbia-Montenegro's final group match against a Chinese side that has lost some of their momentum in this tournament to find out whether their next opponents are Angola or Australia.

China needs to topple the world champions from Serbia-Montenegro for New Zealand to finish fifth in the pool and face the Australians for ninth or 10th place, otherwise they are fighting Angola to avoid the wooden spoon.

SPAIN 88 (J Garbajosa 17, R Fernandez 15, P Gasol 14)

NEW ZEALAND 84 (P Jones 23, P Cameron 18, S Marks 13).

Halftime 48-37

- NZPA