LONDON (2015 FIBA Oceania Championship) - New Zealand's Tall Blacks are in London and just a few days away from playing in their first friendly international of the summer against Great Britain.

The Kiwi squad, led by new coach Paul Henare, will square off against the Brits in the city that hosted the Olympic Games three years ago and then jet off to the Balkans to take on Croatia and Slovenia before traveling to China to take part in the Stankovic Cup.

Henare is happy with the way the preparations have gone so far for the Tall Blacks, who need to win their FIBA Oceania Championship showdown with Australia - a two-game series in Melbourne on 15 August and then Wellington on 18 August - to clinch a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games.

The side that loses will compete in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

"This is a relatively new group of players, made up of a few veterans who know what it is to wear the black singlet and to play some of the best teams in the world, mixed with a few new faces who have not yet been tested at the highest level," Henare said.

"The focus through these last weeks together in Auckland and Napier has been as much about the off-court work and chemistry in the group as it has about our on-court work.

"Our trainers are putting the guys through some tough sessions and we have already achieved plenty on court in the short time we have had together, but now is when the playbooks really start to get a bashing as we look to completely imprint the players with the style of game that we want to play."

Upon their arrival in London, the Tall Blacks went immediately to the New Zealand House for an official welcome from the NZ High Commission.

Among the New Zealand visitors to London for the first time are star guard Corey Webster, a player that had some big games for New Zealand last year when they made a run to the Round of 16 at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

"It is great to be here," Webster said.

I wouldn’t be anywhere else but on the road with this team, working hard and looking ahead to some great games ahead of the Oceania Series. - Webster

"The weather is great, it is always nice to be back in shorts and a t-shirt after the cold back home.

"But best of all, it is just great to be back out on the floor in the warmth after a couple of days traveling.

"This is what we do and sometimes it is a grind, but we love it."

Another first-time visitor is Henare, who would love to take some time for a tour of the city but cannot because he needs to get his players ready for the challenges that are quickly approaching.

"Unfortunately there is little time to enjoy the sights," he said.

"Right now, we are totally focused on improving physically and tactically, and that means rolling our sleeves up and getting at it, there are no short cuts in this game."

FIBA