The Otago Goldrush is planning to send a message to rest of the field when the second round of qualifying for the Women's Basketball Championship gets under way in Auckland tomorrow.
The Goldrush had to be content with the bridesmaid's tag after the opening round of qualifying.
It won four consecutive games to reach the final but lost 70-64 to the Harbour Breeze in New Plymouth last month.
The memory of that loss is still fresh for coach Brent Matehaere.
"Basically we want to send a message this time," he said.
Otago probably needs just two more wins to book a place in the finals in Dunedin next month.
"We should get two wins but we're going there to win it."
Otago's opening match is against a Hamilton-based team NZ Force Cougars.
The Cougars "have not fired like they could" and are a bit of an "unknown factor".
The Palmerston North Storm, led by guard Natalie Moore, is expected to offer tough resistance in the second game, as are the Waikato Wizards.
The Goldrush beat Waikato 76-50 in the opening qualifying tournament.
If Otago finishes top of its group, it will likely play either the Harbour Breeze or the Taranaki Trojans in the final.
Wellington has pulled out of this round of qualifying.
Its spot has been filled by Mt Albert Grammar School.
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade apologised yesterday to anyone offended by his reference to the 9/11 terrorist attack in talking about the upcoming NBA season, AFP reports.
Asked on Monday about the season ahead for a Heat team now packed with the star trio of Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, Wade talked about the inevitability of losses.
"There's going to be times when we might lose one, two games in a row, maybe two games, three games in a row, you never know ... you all are going to make it seem like the World Trade has just went down again."
Wade yesterday issued an apology.
"I was simply trying to say that losing a few basketball games should not be compared to a real catastrophe.
"While it was certainly not my intention, I sincerely apologise to anyone who found my reference to the World Trade Centre to be insensitive or offensive."
