Basketball: Victory in final pre-Olympic hit-out for Tall Ferns

7.35am

LONDON - The New Zealand women's basketball team completed their preparation for the Athens Olympics with a confidence-boosting 66-60 victory over Bulgaria in an exhibition game overnight.

The "friendly" organised while the Tall Ferns were training in Sofia, Bulgaria last week, was played like an international though an extra 10 minute quarter was added at the end of regular time.

New Zealand finished 86-77 winners after the five periods.

The Tall Ferns coach Tom Maher said his side has benefited greatly from the nine-game build up that has taken the team through tournaments in Poland and Turkey as well as the training camp in Sofia.

"There is a definite improvement," he said.

"That's three wins in a row now and we've hit a level that if we had been at when we started I think we would have won more games."

The Tall Ferns had guard Megan Compain back on court after she missed the entire six-nation tournament in Ankara with a calf tear but Angela Marino sat out the game resting a sprained thumb.

Gina Farmer top-scored for New Zealand with 15 points, while captain Leanne Walker (13) and Kim Wielens (11) made double figure contributions.

The focus now shifts to Athens, who face a titanic opponent, in back-to-back gold medallists the USA, in their opening game on August 14.

"Lets face it -- it is a monumental mismatch. We will have to pull off a miracle. We have to find ways to be a winner."

The US, who will have a side packed with Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) players, have won gold on four Olympic occasions since 1976 when the women's game was introduced.

New Zealand, who made their Olympic debut at the Sydney Olympics and finished 11th with one win against Senegal.

Besides the US, the Tall Ferns will face China, Spain, the Czech Republic and Korea in Pool B.

New Zealand 66 (86 after an extra quarter) (G Farmer 15, L Walker 13, K Wielens 11, R Cotton 9).

Bulgaria 60 (77 after an extra quarter) (E Dunutpota 20, A Bpaheoco 13). Halftime: 33-33.

Olympics:

Pool A - Russia, Nigeria, Japan, Greece, Australia, Brazil.

Pool B - China, Spain, Czech Republic, Korea, New Zealand, US.

- NZPA