The New Zealand Tall Blacks will play nine games at three tournaments in three countries as part of their build-up to the 2010 FIBA Basketball World Championship in Turkey in late August.

With trials for the team scheduled for July 23-25 in New Zealand there will be a number of players aiming to impress the coaching staff in the National Basketball League.

The build up matches consist of four-team tournaments and training camps to be held in Croatia, Slovenia and Turkey.

The extensive schedule will see the Tall Blacks taking on Iran, Serbia and the home team in Istanbul from August 6-8, following a week-long training camp in the Turkish capital.

Nenad Vucinic's team follows that with a three-day training camp in Istanbul before heading to Maribor, Slovenia for a tournament against Russia, Serbia and Slovenia, followed by another three-day camp in Rogla, Slovenia.

Their final pre-world championship game time is at a tournament in Zadar, Croatia featuring games against Russia, Jordan and the home nation, then move to Izmir, Turkey, where they will play their World Championship group games against Lithuania, Spain, Lebanon, Canada and France.

"It's great to play the top European teams. To succeed at the world champs you have to beat these teams," said former player Dillon Boucher, now a member of the Tall Blacks coaching staff.

"It's a great build up, especially playing in such a hotbed of basketball in nations such as Croatia and Turkey, as well as Slovenia."

Although New Zealand comes up against some highly rated nations at the world championship in Izmir, Boucher said there is no one team which has to be targeted or beaten. Every game was important, he said.

"You have to beat teams to advance, no matter what pool you are in. There are no easy teams as it's a world championship and every team is there with a purpose - to win."

Boucher is part of a three-pronged coaching staff with head coach Nenad Vucinic and assistant coach Chris Tupu, the coach of the third-placed Nelson Giants in the NBL. Vucinic has been based in Turkey where he coaches club team Darussafaka in Istanbul.

The rankings of New Zealand's group opponents in Izmir are No3 Spain, sixth ranked Lithuania, France at No15, Canada 19 and Lebanon, coached by former Tall Black coach Tab Baldwin, with a ranking of 24.

The Tall Blacks are ranked at 13th in the world according to FIBA rankings.

The Tall Blacks first game at the world championships is against Lithuania, August 28.

TALL BLACK SCHEDULE

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July 23-25 - Trials in Auckland, New Zealand
July 26 - Depart New Zealand
July 28-August 5 - Training camp in Istanbul, Turkey
August 6-8 - Tournament at Olympic Arena, Istanbul, Turkey (opponents - Iran, Serbia, Turkey)
August 9-11 - Traning camp in Istanbul, Turkey
August 13-15 - Adecco Cup in Maribor, Slovenia (opponents - Russia, Serbia, Slovenia)
August 16-18 - Training camp in Rogla, Slovenia
August 20-22 - World Cup tournament in Zadar, Croatia (opponents - Russia, Jordan, Croatia)
August 24-25 - Training camp in Izmir, Turkey

August 28-September 12 - FIBA World Championship in Turkey

August 28 - New Zealand vs Lithuania (1am August 29 NZ Time)
August 29 - Spain vs New Zealand (6am August 30 NZ Time)
August 31 - New Zealand vs Lebanon (1am September 1 NZ Time)
September 1 - Canada vs New Zealand (1am September 2 NZ Time)
September 2 - New Zealand vs France (6am September 3 NZ Time)

September 4-7 - Eight-finals, Istanbul, Turkey
September 8-9 - Quarter-finals, Istanbul, Turkey
September 10-11 - Semi-finals, Istanbul, Turkey
September 12 - Final, Istanbul, Turkey