I’m a believer – Tall Blacks coach
Paul Henare’s Tall Blacks head into basketball’s World Cup tomorrow in Nanjing under-rated, under-valued and most definitely under the radar. In other words, nothing changes for the perpetual underdogs of world hoops.
It’s why Henare, a backup greatest ever Tall Blacks side that finished fourth at the 2002 edition of the global tournament, has spent the last three weeks of the buildup programme hammering away at the belief factor.
For his team to make some noise at this tournament, starting tomorrow night in their opener against Brazil (8pm tip NZT), and continue a remarkable record of four straight appearances in the knockout phase, they are going to have to go toe-to-toe with some of the true heavyweights of the global game and not blink.
New Zealand have landed in a brutal pool, alongside world No 8 Greece, No 12 Brazil and 28thranked Montenegro. The Kiwis sit at 38, according to a questionable Fiba system that has the Kiwis only sixth out of Asia.
Did we mention nobody rates the Tall Blacks?
Henare certainly does, and has spent the last month reinforcing to his men that they have the ability to knock over all three of their Group F rivals at this tournament, including NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Greece side tipped to contend for medals.
‘‘It comes down to belief,’’ Henare told Stuff of the recipe required at this event. ‘‘That’s the journey we’ve been on.
‘‘It’s about finding a way. We truly believe we can compete with and beat these big teams we’re facing.’’
It’s why that final buildup victory, against world No 13 Italy on the third night of back-to-back-toback
games, was vital for the New Zealanders.
They’d had their moments against top-five nations France and Serbia, but to knock off a side led by NBA stars Marco Belinelli and Danilo Gallinari was a perfect confidence-booster.
‘‘Though it wasn’t perfect, to get a win over a super high quality team was great for team morale and has really created a positive vibe heading into the tournament,’’ Henare said.
The Tall Blacks are going to have to mine all the intangibles to find a way out of their tough pool. They can’t match their rivals for pure talent, but are banking on their collective tenacity, teamwork and a new pace-and-space system providing an edge.
It might help, too, if the hoop heavyweights underestimate the quirky Kiwis and take their eye off the ball. They wouldn’t be the first to fall into that trap.
Henare feels his side is ready after a testing buildup that included five games in seven days.
He takes a fit group into the opener against Brazil, spearheaded by the Webster brothers Corey and Tai, experienced hands Isaac Fotu, Tom Abercrombie, Rob Loe and Alex Pledger, and with Finn Delany and Ethan Rusbatch heading a bench unit coming in looking to get shots up.
‘‘Our big guys have gone through a steep learning curve in terms of the way we’re playing and the pace we’re trying to play at,’’ added Henare, ‘‘and each of them has started to find their groove.’’