N.Z. basketballers ‘lacked experience’

Press, 16 July 1986, Page 64

N.Z. basketballers ‘lacked experience’

FRANK DUGGAN

By

Lack of international experience was the main reason for New Zealand not making the main qualifying rounds of the World Cup basketball championships in Spain last week, according to the coach, Mr Bob Bishop, who arrived back in Christchurch last evening.

“If we are to take on these top countries we have to have more experience,” said Mr Bishop. “We are now rated in the top 20 in the world — we were originally rated 24 — and we have to have a plan to get everybody going.”

Basically, New Zealand did not do well. It won

one of its five qualifying matches — against Malaysia — yet it still stuck very close to its main rivals in the qualifying round, Yugoslavia, Canada, and Argentina, which surprisingly upset the United States in the semifinals.

. The main problem with the New Zealand team was its offence. “We didn’t really take it to the other teams,” said a disappointed Mr Bishop. “It was all there, but we didn’t make it.”

In most games New Zealand Was ahead or close to the lead at the end of the first half. Then it fell away, he said.

“Personally, I think it was a lack of discipline on the players’ part,” said Mr Bishop, "but to get up to No. 20 is something that New Zealand had hoped for.”

One of the New Zealand players, John' Rademakers, said that the basic flaw with the New Zealand team was that it was opposed by people of greater height. “When you play against guys of between 6ft Bin and 7ft 3in it is very hard to go over the top. I think New Zealand is a good side, but the others are just too experienced and have a lot more ability,” he said.