The Tall Blacks basketballers began their Stankovic Cup campaign in China with a close loss to the higher ranked Russians, going down 74-71.
New Zealand's long journey to qualify for the London Olympics may have started with a loss, but it was a tight one and the Tall Blacks came within a basket of taking the game after a late rally in the third and fourth quarters.
A Mark Dickel three point shot hit the rim and spun round the run failing to take the game into extra time. However it was not to be with Russia celebrating an escape and the Tall Blacks looking at the positives they can take from the loss.
In the Fiba international rankings Russia are ranked at 11 and New Zealand 18. It was the Russians who put New Zealand out of the knock-out stage of the World Championships last year.
The Tall Blacks now face China in their second game of the tournament.
