Basketball: Coach relishes hectic schedule

By Peter Jessup

A schedule of up to 40 tests would send many an international coach into catatonia.

Not so Carl Dickel, who is looking gleefully at a packed programme that offers his New Zealand women's basketball side a shot at the Olympic hoops in Sydney 2000.

It starts tonight at the North Shore Events Centre when Dickel's girls face a Chinese side much changed from the one that defeated them 2-1 in a series over there last October.

Then follow tours to Europe (May), Taiwan (July), an Oceania qualifying series (September) - where the New Zealanders are favourites to shade Fiji and the two Samoas along with any other comers for the one Olympic spot for this region - and the United States (November).

"We have to do it to have the experience of the game on different continents, and to keep ourselves sharp for a good showing in Sydney."

A start there is a given, the team believe, no serious threat within the region other than Australia, who as hosts have automatic right of entry to one of the 12 available spots at Sydney 2000.

The team have not played together since that China mission, but Dickel is confident they know enough about each other's routines given the stable line-up.

A four-day training camp at Te Puea Marae in Mangere has sharpened up combinations.

Included in the squad are three double-internationals, guard Leanne Walker from the New Zealand women's touch team and Silver Ferns captain Belinda Colling and shooter Donna Loffhagen; from the tough Australian comp come Tania Brunton (Adelaide) and Julie Ofsoski (Dandenong); bringing US experience are Rebecca Cotton and Sally Farmer (Oklahoma University) and captain Kirsten Egan (Colorado State).

The Kiwi front line of Farmer, Ofsoski, Loffhagen and Nikki Thompson, (tallest at 186cm) will suffer a distinct height disadvantage, as the Chinese side included three players over 194cm (6ft 5in). Across the court the Chinese are an average 6cm taller.

Several New Zealanders in the United States were not considered because the tour clashes with National College competition finals, while 1998 reps Megan Compain and Gina Farmer are locked into league play in Germany. But the side looks strong and home-court advantage should give them a first-up win over the Chinese, who arrived only yesterday.

Tip-off is at 7pm.

New Zealand: Kirsten Egan, captain, (Canterbury), Susan Bocock (New Plymouth/University of New Mexico), Tania Bruton (Wellington/Adelaide), Belinda Colling (Otago), Rebecca Cotton (Wellington), Sally Farmer (Canterbury), Tracey Kelly (Otago/Sydney), Aneka Kerr (Melbourne), Donna Loffhagen (Southland), Julie Ofsoski (Wellington/Cairns), Nikki Thompson (Nelson), Leanne Walker (Waikato).

Tour itinerary: Thurs 18 March, Taupo Events Centre; Friday, Queen's Wharf Events Centre Wellington; Sunday, Trafalgar Centre Nelson; Monday, Dunedin Stadium; Tuesday, Westpac Events Centre Christchurch.