New Zealand has been pooled with Argentina, Croatia ad Kazakhstan in group D at the Under 19 men's basketball World Championship in Auckland.
The Junior Tall Blacks will be competing in FIBA's third biggest tournament for the first time.
They open their tournament against Argentina at the North Shore Events Centre on July 2.
Their point guard Logan van Beek of Canterbury says they played Argentina and Croatia at the Albert Schweitzer tournament last year.
He says It's going to be tough but they know the areas they have to improve to beat them.
The USA, beaten finalists at the last world championship in 2007, wil lbe joined by France, Iran and Egypt in group B.
Spain will play Oceania champions Australia, Canada and Syria in group C, and Greece, Lithuania, Angola and Puerto Rico meet in group A.
