Basketball New Zealand

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NZ Tall Black haka 2007 (Photosport)

The NZ Tall Blacks will return to Athens – scene of the previous Olympic Games – in their bid for one of three remaining spots at next year’s Beijing Olympics.

FIBA’s Central Board have named the Greek capital as venue for the 12-team repechage tournament next July 14-20. The event will be staged at the 18,000-seat OAKA Sports Arena at Maroussi.

“It was always expected that this tournament would be somewhere in Europe,” observed Tall Black coach Nenad Vucinic. “The Greek people have a lot of passion for basketball and their national team, and they will provide a great venue for the tournament.

“Obviously, European teams will now have a huge advantage, but that’s just the way it is.”

Greece finished runners-up to Spain at last year’s FIBA World Championships and face New Zealand, Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, Cameroon, Croatia, Germany, Korea, Lebanon, Puerto Rico and Slovenia in the last-chance qualification event.

The draw will take place in Athens on January 31.

Spain will host the women’s qualifying tournament from June 9-15, while the Czech Republic have been awarded the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women after Australia, France and Latvia withdrew.