New Zealand's women basketballers face a challenging task in their bid to make the London Olympics after drawing a tough pool at the qualifying tournament in Turkey later this year.
The 16th-ranked New Zealanders have drawn world No.4 Czech Republic and Argentina, ranked 12th in the world, in Pool B at the tournament in Ankara beginning on June 25.
Twelve teams are competing for the final five places at the London Games. Hosts Turkey, Japan and Puerto Rico are in one group, with Canada, France and Mali in the third pool.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, with every team that makes the last four securing an Olympic berth.
The four losing quarter-finalists will play off for the final qualifying spot.
The Tall Ferns missed out on a direct path to the Olympics when they were comfortably beaten by world No.3 Australia in the Oceania qualifying series last September.
Seven women's basketball teams have already qualified for the London Olympics - hosts Great Britain, six-time gold medal winners the United States, Russia, China, Australia, Brazil and Angola.
The Tall Ferns made the quarter-finals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, but could only manage the playoff for 11th and 12th in Beijing four years ago.
NZN