Basketball: Missing Tall Blacks may be x-factor

By Peter Jessup

The crucial pre-finals basketball game between Auckland and North Harbour tomorrow afternoon may come down to which side miss their Tall Blacks most.

Harbour do not have the outside option and dependable shooting which Kirk Penney brings - 38 points last weekend - and will miss Andrew Parke's energy and aggression against his old team.

Auckland have lost two organisers in point guard Paul Henare and captain Pero Cameron, and coach Tab Baldwin admits his side can be very good or very average without their leader.

"I'm expecting a tough one. The Kings have plenty of motivation - it's do or die for them," he said.

The Kings have a grip on fourth spot in the league and will want to strengthen it. With only one more round to come ahead of the finals weekend on August 20-21, first-placed Auckland are assured of a position but they will not want to give Harbour anything in the psychological battle.

"I expect it'll be physical. We'll need to shut down their imports [Dave Daniels and Chris Ensminger]. I'm not making predictions," Baldwin said.

His side were all fit ahead of their last training last night.

Baldwin's opposite, Tracey Carpenter, likewise expects a slogging defensive battle and a subsequent low score.

He said Daniels had stepped up in the leadership role and the team were playing with confidence, which they will need to contain Auckland at the North Shore Events Centre.

Waikato travel to Otago, then Nelson, and coach Jeff Green admits they would be emotionally and physically drained by the time they play Nelson for the second of two must-win games if they are to hang on to slim playoff hopes.

Fifth-placed Canterbury visit second-placed Wellington in the other game with a bearing on the ladder.