Basketball: Skipper optimistic about big challenge

Captain Kate Mcmeeken-Ruscoe (right) in action against Spain in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Photo / Getty Images

The Tall Ferns are about to get a decent gauge of how much work lies ahead to qualify for a fourth straight Olympic Games in London next year.

The national women's team, world ranked No 16, fly to China today for two round robin tournaments against world No 3 Australia, No 6 Brazil and the No 8-ranked hosts.

It is quality preparation ahead of the best-of-three Olympic qualifying series against the Aussies from September 7-11.

There's no disguising the size of the challenge, but experienced captain Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe is optimistic good things will come out of this trip.

She likes the blend of seasoned campaigners - McMeeken-Ruscoe, Lisa Wallbutton, Jillian Harmon, Natalie Taylor (nee Purcell) and Micaela Cocks were in the Beijing Olympic team of three years ago - with newer faces.

In one sense, they're in the same boat under coach Kennedy Hamilton-Kereama.

"There's a core of us who have played together a little since the Olympics in 2008, but when you're getting together once a year you've got some rusty moments," McMeeken-Ruscoe said.

"It's difficult because everyone's learning lots of stuff and we're all learning it together. But it's not like we're starting fresh again."

The squad was named after a camp in Auckland involving 21 players, and that's another good sign, she believes.

"I've been involved in the programme since 1998 and it's the first time I can remember 20-plus people at our first camp.

"There's a lot of young ones but we're definitely making moves in the right direction."

Being on court six times in eight days is a stretch against some of the game's best players, but there are substantial benefits.

"We don't get this chance very often, and we just want to get better every game.

"It's a different style of game, different physicality and difference in the size of players. It's about getting that experience and exposure."

McMeeken-Ruscoe believes Australia are using essentially a B team at the China tournament, because of injuries and unavailability of several of their leading players. That opens a possibility for the Tall Ferns.

"If we beat Australia, we beat Australia, we're not going to talk about who's playing and who's not. So I'd probably say right now it's as good a chance as any to get one over the Aussies."

And there are lessons to be absorbed.

"Obviously different players add slightly different moves and reads off plays but we'll definitely get an understanding of what their principles are and what tempo they're playing," she said.

There is a United Nations feel to the Tall Ferns group, with only Aroha Jennings at the Waikato Wizards playing in New Zealand.

The Tall Ferns have been at the last three Olympics, finishing 11th at Sydney in 2000, eighth in Athens four years later and 10th in Beijing in 2008.

They have double headers with the Tall Blacks against their Australian rivals for the Oceania spots at Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.

If they miss out there, they both have a final opportunity to make London, at a last-chance tournament about eight weeks before the Games.

TALL FERNS

Squad for quadrangular series against China, Australia and Brazil in China:

Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe (Logan Thunder, Brisbane), Erin Rooney (Fordham Uni, New York), Lisa Wallbutton (Albury Wodonga, Australia), Natalie Taylor (Uni of Limerick, Ireland), Antonia Edmondson (Bendigo Braves, Australia), Micaela Cocks (Sandringham Sabres, Australia), Rebecca Dew (Uni of Hawaii), Jillian Harmon (Pool Comense, Italy), Jordan Hunter (Crowder College, Missouri), Patrick McKenzie (Frankson Blues, Australia), Jelena Vucinic (Louisiana Tech), Aroha Jennings (Waikato Wizards).

SCHEDULE:

At Xiang Yauan

* Friday: v China, 11.30pm NZT
* Saturday: v Australia, 8.30pm
* Sunday: v Brazil 10.30pm

At Yulin:

* June 22: v China, 11.30pm
* June 23: v Australia, 8.30pm
* June 24: v Brazil, 8.30pm