New Zealand women's basketball coach Mike McHugh said the 12-strong Tall Ferns squad named today for the Beijing Olympics was one of his most difficult selections ever.
The high quality of players available had made the selection process particularly tough, he said.
"It was one of the most difficult selection decisions I've been through in 15-16 years of international basketball.
"There were so many players that put in strong claims for selection."
McHugh, who was an assistant coach at the Athens Olympics, said he rated the Beijing team as stronger than the 2004 squad.
"It's the strongest team we could have selected for the Olympics," McHugh said.
"I think it's a better team than we took to Athens in the talent level, we just lack the superstar names like Gina Farmer and Donna Wilkins."
McHugh described the team as "very young and inexperienced" at Olympic level, with only two players - captain and forward Aneka Kerr and point guard Angela Marino - remaining from the Athens squad.
"But we've had a great buildup over the last year and a half."
Kerr and Marino were part of the Tall Ferns' surprise march to the quarterfinals in 2004, with wins over Korea and China, before a loss to eventual silver medallists Australia.
The Beijing squad also feature sisters Natalie and Charmian Purcell, basketball-cricket dual international Suzie Bates and 18-year-old 1.94m centre Jessica McCormack.
Also adding strength are two relative newcomers, New Zealand-born but United States-raised Clare Bodensteiner and Jillian Harmon, who made their Tall Ferns debuts in April.
The pair were teammates at Stanford University in the US college system but were unaware of their eligibility to play for their birth country until Bodensteiner inquired about playing for a New Zealand club this year.
New Zealand Olympic selector and New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) secretary-general Barry Maister said he was sure the Tall Ferns could build on their previous Olympic experience to produce a strong result in Beijing.
"They were a successful team in Athens where they delivered the goods against the odds," he said.
"We're looking for the same or better this time."
The Tall Ferns play their opening match at the Beijing Olympics against Mali on August 9, before further group B games against China, world No 1 USA and European powers Spain and Czech Republic.
Tall Ferns squad: Suzie Bates, Aneka Kerr, Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe, Charmian Purcell, Natalie Purcell, Lisa Wallbutton, Noni Wharemate (all Christchurch Sirens); Clare Bodensteiner, Jillian Harmon (both Stanford University, NCAA); Micaela Cocks (University of Oregon, NCAA), Angela Marino (Adelaide Lightning, Australia), Jessica McCormack (University of Connecticut, NCAA).
