Basketball: Tall Blacks celebrate finest hour

By PETER JESSUP

The Tall Blacks will look to reciprocal visits from Brazil and Argentina and more regular competition with the Australian Boomers, whom they beat 89-78 yesterday, as they build to the world championships in the United States next year.

Their 2-1 series win over Australia came on the back of decent planning, enthusiasm and commitment from the players, plus composure and self-belief.

There has been a big attitude change since the Olympics.

In Sydney, long-term coach Keith Mair tried not to lose by too much. Yesterday in Auckland, the new-look Tall Blacks proved they have a new confidence in their own ability and that they know they can beat top sides after taking Russia to overtime and beating Brazil at the Goodwill Games. And now this.

"Defence" was the chant as the team took the court at the North Shore Events Centre, the series even after an 85-78 win in Wellington on Friday and an 81-79 loss in overtime in Hamilton on Saturday.

That second game may have been the drain that sucked the Boomers dry because yesterday they started well, had control, then ran out of steam, cohesion, ideas and enthusiasm.

"Our offence was good all game," Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin said, "but it was second-half defence that won it for us."

Mark Dickel had driven them to the basket and his athleticism, energy and sheer strength of character lifted the team, Baldwin said.

"He gave more players the chance to contribute, and they all did."

The biggest contributors were captain Pero Cameron, from Waikato, who proved his class with leadership under duress, Nelson sharp-shooter Phill Jones, Auckland captain Dillon Boucher, whose efforts in snaring rebounds at both ends were simply outstanding, and Dickel.

But there were major contributions from all nine of the team. Paul Henare lifted them when things were pear-shaped at the end of the first quarter, the Tall Blacks down 29-18 and with a second left. Henare was running full-lick down court and threw the ball from halfway for a three-pointer that closed the mental gap as much as the one on the scoreboard.

"It was pure luck," Henare said. "I could see the clock was just about gone and just fired it."

Their accuracy had not been good until that, 32 per cent compared to the Australians' 63 per cent.

The first sign of how things would go came in the second quarter when New Zealand began to close the early lead they had granted the visitors.

Australia's top scorer, Ben Maher, went for a confident slam-dunk and slipped from the hoop. No points. Down the other end, forwards Tony Rampton and Ben Melmeth went from elbows in ribs to fists gripping shirtfronts in a push-and-shove that looked as if it was about to erupt until captains Cameron and Maher settled their teams.

The Aussies were rattled, under pressure, not finding any easy points. The Tall Blacks looked as skilful, more inventive and way more intense.

As Jones found range, the scoreline closed to 51-45 at the half, the home team now finding the basket with 40 per cent of their shots, the visitors slipping to 59 per cent.

It was Cameron who stepped up big-time in the third quarter, with consecutive baskets, free-throws and a three-pointer to draw level.

The Boomers showed their frustration with fouls and questioning of the officials. But with one Kiwi, one Australian and one Solomon Islander, there were no favours for anyone there.

They missed free-throws, gifted turnovers and finished only three points up at 70-67 at three-quarter time.

Their accuracy had declined further to 50 per cent, while New Zealand's increased to 41, a pattern that continued into the final 10 minutes.

When Dickel landed a three-pointer with five minutes to go to stretch the New Zealand lead to 80-69 and Melmeth fouled out, the Tall Blacks could feel the win.

The bench stood for the last few minutes, screaming at their team-mates, raising arms to lift the fans' cheering.

The Boomers looked confused - how had it come to this, what had happened, where was the time to win?

Baldwin, allowing himself a rare smile, called time-out with 13s to go and the result obvious, and told the team to go and really enjoy the occasion, the noise, the adulation.

The crowd clapped it down to an old Exponents number, all the music yesterday from Kiwi bands in a nice touch that others should follow.

"We didn't have a plan before today - now we do," Baldwin said, acknowledging it meant television cover, sponsors, more international competition.

He expected a more intense national league as others tried to force their way into the world championship side, thus maintaining pressure on yesterday's winners.

Australia miss out on a world titles berth for the first time since 1970.

At least they are in good company - Sydney Olympic silver medallists France, bronze medallists Lithuania and the fifth-placed Italy have also crashed out in qualifying matches.

Tall Blacks: Pero Cameron and Phill Jones 19, Mark Dickel 16, Dillon Boucher 15; Boucher 14 rebounds, Tony Rampton 8, Cameron 6. Australian Boomers: Brett Maher 20, Darryl McDonald and Matt Neilsen 13, Ben Knight 10; Neilsen and Glen Saville 6 rebounds, McDonald 5.