Penney weighs up Tall Blacks availability

AUCKLAND (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - It can be an agonizing decision for a player when it comes to deciding when it's time to walk off the court for good. New Zealand sharpshooter Kirk Penney admits that a couple of years ago, he thought he would draw the curtain on his career.

Penney was not at this best at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, but nevertheless dug in and made important contributions for the Tall Blacks, a team he has played for since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Kirk Penney (NZL) had 17 points against Finland in Bilbao

The Kiwis, with their backs to the wall in Bilbao in 2014 after three defeats in as many games in the Group Phase, bounced back to win against Ukraine and Finland to reach the Round of 16.

Only a gritty, determined effort by Lithuania prevented New Zealand from moving into the Quarter-Finals. Penney, who had poured in 17 and 11 points, respectively, in the victories over Ukraine and Finland, had just 6 in the 76-71 defeat to Lithuania, a game that hung in the balance until the very end.

"After the World Cup in 2014, I was really not enjoying playing the game any more and was thinking about retiring," Penney said to reporters after signing a three-year contract with the New Zealand Breakers. "I took the first half of the year off, thinking 'you know what, I think I'm done'.

"At that moment I came to terms with it, but then opportunities starting coming up around Christmas to play again, I went and loved the experience of playing, I loved the experience in Illawarra, and it's given me a new lease on playing."

Penney had a fantastic season with Illawarra in Australia's NBL to fuel hopes back home that he would put on the national team jersey again. New Zealand will play in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Manila. If they were to win the six-team event, the Tall Blacks would qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Games.

When asked if unlike last year, when Penney chose not to be available for the FIBA Oceania Championship clashes with Australia, he would be available for selection in 2016, he did not have a definitive answer.

"Everyone is asking me that," he said. "I need to probably address that soon. I will probably talk to Andrew [Tall Blacks team manager Andrew Dewhurst] about it at length, come to a conclusion, then talk about if I'm going to do it or not do it and what that looks like."

If Penney does not play, he will have plenty of memories to savor with the Tall Blacks. He also played at Athens Olympics in 2004 and at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 FIBA Basketball World Cups.

FIBA