Bradshaw is unavailable. Bartlett could build the Great Wall in 1 quarter of Basketball. Marks will be looking for a job while the NBA lockout is happening.

My picks are

Dickel/Tait
Penney/Webster
Abercrombie/Henry
Vukona/Anthony and or Trueman
Pledger/

wildcard could be the inclusion of Steven Adams for experience (NZNBL Rookie of the season and has signed a letter of intent to play for Pittsburgh in NCAA).

Mystro, spot on with that team.
Dickel v Tait matchup for a starting spot would be interesting.
Tait is really good in the NZNBL, but looks way out of depth in the ANBL and in International Basketball-He is really conservative and passive in the international game in comparison to how he plays with the Saints.
Dickel will be more active/flamboyant methinks..Get assists even if that means a few turnovers.. Shoot some 3s (even if he isn't a lights out shooter)

I like Dickel as the starter though because of his experience, and the fact that his activeness is going to make things happen. Tait won't rack up assists or get buckets at international level, but Dickel can find people in the right areas (Saw that a bit in last years ANBL--Had 8 assists against Tigers, 7 against Blaze--avg 5 per game)

Surprised not to see Hayden Allen in the squad..He is better than Webster methinks just because of his experience and he brings an unrivaled defensive intensity (Plays like the Energizer Bunny)

Can't work out why they took Jeremy Kench to the Worlds last year and not Hayden Allen --Perhaps he made himself unavailable

agree Macdub on the Tait/Dickel rivalry for starting PG. Dickel also gets the start for me based on his international experience and hustle.
Webster is needed for his scoring ability off the bench (he is a capable scorer when confident) and I would take Anthony for size over Trueman even tho Trueman is prob a more complete player at the moment by a fraction but with Pledger the only true Centre we need someone to bang bodies and BJ can certainly do that.
No argument on the Centre spot (heck we only have one big man lol).
Vukona/Abercrombie/Penney are no brainers and would have been handed their uniforms at the front door lol.
Will miss Phil Jones experience and scoring.

I actually think Tait is the man to start. He knows how to play with that line-up and gets them into their offence with a minimum of fuss or turnovers but doesnt try to impose himself on the game.

Dickel on the other hand is better at creating, and that will be very valuable when the bench is on the floor. He will get open shots for Webster and Henry (and Frank), and without that those two will struggle to contribute.

The key for NZ will be to get Marks playing. It's a decent stretch until September. They need a big man with experience to replace Cameron and even more so with Bradshaw out, even though his contribution was mediocre last year.

How can Marks play for NZ? I thought he was a naturalized American now... Or did i miss the memo?

he has played many times for NZ so under FIBA rules, he is a New Zealander. Marks would be a great addition to that team but prob not going to happen.

Ok... so as long as he doesn't play for the Dream Team NZ have first dibs on him...

NZ have had first dibs since the first time he played for them as he is a born and bred New Zealander who now holds American Citizenship as he has been in the NBA for the last 10years.
Kyrie Irving was born in Australia but spent his life growing up in Portland and represented the USA at the Under18 WC's, as he has Australian Citizenship from being born there, he can only play for Australia with Team USA's blessing as he represented them first.

Are you sure your not getting confused with Dean Vickerman?

lol that's what I was thinking Macdub

#328 - that is correct.

Tall Blacks down 48-37 at half time against Russia. Vucinic rotating all 12 players through, not sure how they have 37 points, they are shooting 18% from the field! Getting good looks just missing them all, and have missed lots of free throws.

You can watch at this link, but NZ are very much in pre-season mode and clearly havent worked out how they are going to defend the pick and roll with their various line-ups.

http://www.lshunter.tv/index.php?option=com_lsh&view=lsh&event_id=57599&tid=197693&channel=0&tmpl=component&layout=popup&Itemid=327

Good game in the end, a Dickel three on the last play rimmed around and jumped out and then Penney missed on the buzzer as Russia won 74-71.

Kiwis actually played some defence in the second half led by Pledger who was a doiminant force at that end of the floor and made some nice plays at the other end despite the fact he still resembles a big, clumsy labrador pup.

Penney was very rusty, Abercrombie and Vukona didnt really impose themselves on the game, BJ Anthony did some really nice things, Tait was solid, Frank was his usual Jekyl and Hyde self, hitting a nice three and then airballing a free throw!

Was really a scrimmage for the Tall Blacks (they only ran one play for Penney in the whole last quarter) but they showed enough to say they will be a challenge come September. I think Adams will be dragged into the line-up for the Aussie series though, as they were really lacking when Pledger was out of the game.

The Tall Blacks beat China 89-69 last night in a very impressive second half display after a rusty first half again. Penney was much better with 20p on 5/8 3p, BJ Anthony had 19p on 9/13, Pledger pulled in 8r, Fitchett handed out 8a and Tait 6a. NZ play Angola tonight for a spot in the final against Russia.

NZ beat Angola 73-70 despite a pretty poor shooting night, securing the win thanks to some Mika Vukona free throws late would you believe?! Penney had 17p on 5/15 to go with 9r, Abercrombie had 14p and 7r, Tait had 9p, 7a and 5r, and Pledger had 8p and 5r.

They now play Russia, who thrashed China 70-45 (new coach needed perhaps?), in the final tonight.

The Tall Blacks went down 78-72 to Montenegro overnight, a 32-19 foul count didnt help (with Pledger, Vukona, Frank and Abercrombie in foul trouble for much of the game) as they struggled to contain Nikola Pekovic who had 23p on 7/10fg and 9/10ft and 7r - prob good practice for the Kiwis as I think Brett Brown is planning to pump the ball inside a lot.

Penney had 26p on 5/6 3pfg and 7/12 overall, 5r and 4a but turned it over 5 times. Vukona had 13p on 6/9, 4r but 4to, Tait had 5p and 7a, no one else really made an impact.

Montenegro controlled the second quarter to open up a 15-point lead, then NZ dominated the third to take the lead late in the term, but a run at the start of the fourth with Penney on the bench opened up a double figure lead that the Kiwis couldnt erase. NZ play Macedonia tonight.

http://www.fibalivestats.com/matches...52Vx87HU5kmEY/