AUCKLAND (2016 Rio Olympics) - New Zealand did not clinch a spot in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games this summer, losing in the FIBA Oceania Women's Championship to Australia.

But don't write off the Kiwis.

The Tall Ferns will show up at next year's FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) with plenty of motivation and ambition.

There is genuine cause for optimism.

New Zealand (NZL) fought hard at the Oceania Championship

Two and half months on from the Oceania Championship and New Zealand coach Kennedy Kereama is upbeat.

"We showed a lot of promise," he said to FIBA.com on Thursday.

"We showed a lot of fighting spirit.

"I was proud of how we played.

"We don't know which pool we're going to be in at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament or who we're going to play, but if we continue to play the way we did in the Oceania, I would back us to win games."

Argentina, Belarus, Cameroon, China, Cuba, France, Korea, Nigeria, Spain, Turkey and Venezuela will be at the WOQT.

Nigeria, Cameroon and Venezuela are below the Tall Ferns in the FIBA Ranking Women.

If there is one team that New Zealand would probably like to face, it's Argentina.

In 2012, New Zealand needed to beat the South Americans at the WOQT in Turkey to stay in the hunt for a spot in the London Games but they lost, 54-51.

The Tall Ferns (NZL) played at the 2012 WOQT

It's a defeat that still burns for the New Zealand players and coaching staff.

"The scoreline against the Argentinians is one we'd rather forget," Kereama said.

New Zealand led at the end of the first quarter but Argentina then went in front and stretched a narrow half-time advantage to nine points in the third quarter.

The Tall Ferns didn't allow them to pull away and closed the gap to just two points in the fourth quarter.

They still had a chance to pull level in the final seconds but did not.

The defeat was a painful one.

"It was very tough watching them celebrate and going through to the Quarter-Finals while we were out," Kereama said.

Argentina (ARG) celebrate after win over the Tall Ferns 

Having lived through that experience, New Zealand know there will not be much room for error when they travel to the WOQT.

"We know a little more about the competition and will be a little better prepared," Kereama said.

With five berths up for grabs, there is real hope for New Zealand.

If the Tall Ferns show up at the WOQT and hit the ground running with their usual combative spirit, they'll have a decent chance of reaching Rio.

FIBA