Basketball: Baldwin lets rip after another loss for Tall Blacks

Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin has put his starting five on notice after their indifferent contribution to the side's 60-68 loss to the United States Basketball Academy in Jinjiang, China, today (NZ time).

"I feel like I'm about to talk to two different teams," an exasperated Baldwin told his players after the game, their second loss in as many matches at the four-team international tournament.

New Zealand went down 59-60 to China yesterday.

" I don't have a problem with the bench; I feel like telling them to leave the room while I talk to my veterans. They're the ones I have a problem with."

For the second successive game, Baldwin's substitutes provided a significant spark whenever they were injected into proceedings.

This time they outscored the starting players 31-29 and, by Baldwin's estimation, out-hustled them defensively as well.

New Zealand went into today's match with veteran centre Ed Book, who is still troubled by a hamstring strain, and shooting guard Aaron Olson, who was ill.

Even allowing for the disruption caused by their enforced absence, Baldwin was far from enamoured with what he saw today.

"We didn't get out-worked, we got outplayed by players with a sum total of about five practices."

His post-match summation was brief, but scathing, and he promised his analysis would be more personal after the game tape was dissected.

Before New Zealand played China Baldwin had expressed concern at the comfort level around the team and believed the players needed to feel more on edge.

Those concerns were magnified today after losing to a composite team who had previously lost to Lithuania.

The Americans immediately had the Tall Blacks on the back foot when Jamahl Moseley struck twice from beyond the arc to open the scoring.

The Tall Blacks opened their account with three-point plays to Pero Cameron and Dillon Boucher, but as hot as their opponents were, they were freezing.

Ronell Taylor and Mustapha Hoff hit two more three-pointers to give the Academy another buffer, and New Zealand continued to fire blanks.

Only a spirited 18-2 run saw the New Zealanders edge in front 32-31 at halftime after substitutes Casey Frank, Lindsay Tait, Mika Vukona and Mike Homik sparked the Tall Blacks into action.

At halftime Baldwin asked his starters to raise their intensity level and then watched them concede 12 unanswered points early in the third period.

It was a hole the Tall Blacks could not climb out of although they closed to 57-58 at one stage before the Americans went five clear and would not be denied.

New Zealand are to play Lithuania tomorrow morning (NZ time).

Result:-

United States Basketball Academy 68 (Mustapha Hoff 19, Ronell Taylor 13)

Tall Blacks 60 (Phill Jones 17, Casey Frank 11). Halftime: 31-32.

- NZPA