Of course we know the players and coaches hace a lot to do to get ready for a game but lots of other people help to stage a successful basketball game.

Click into the Photo Gallery to see some of the action from the FIBA Oceania Championships for Men

Fans give Tall Blacks plenty of support.

Sir Edmund Hillary was among the dignitaries on hand at the Telstra Stadium in Auckland on Saturday to watch the Tall Blacks try to wrest a game from the Australians in the 2005 FIBA Oceania Championships.

The Dunedin Basketball stadium was full to bursting for the third game of the series and vocal in their support of the Tall Blacks. The Australia Boomers won on the day and wrapped up the series 3 games to zero.

FIBA International Referee Carl Jungerbrand has been busy in between games sharing his knowledge with his collegues "down under".

The Boomers went two up in the 2005 FIBA Oceania Series behind a 20 point game from Glen Saville. (photos to follow)

Tall Black Guard Mark Dickel, supports coach Baldwin's belief that his team can keep the series alive with a win on Saturday.

If you can't be here, look what's happening on our photo gallery and team photo page.

Two people can watch the same event and come up with a different version of what happened.

To get another view on what is happening in the FIBA Oceania Championships presently underway in alternative New Zealand log on to ....

They can peform the Haka but one third of present roster of the New Zealand Tall Blacks were born outside New Zealand. How did this happen and what does the future hold for the make up of this team???

The 2005 FIBA Oceania Championship for Men opened in Auckland with a win to Australia 82 to 69

A short bio of New Zealand Tall Black Coach Tab Baldwin...

Australian coach Brian Goorjian talks about basketball, shoes and cooking...

Australia and New Zealand tonight named their teams to contest the 2005 FIBA Oceania Championships for Men.