It was perhaps the biggest mismatch of the entire Olympics. The New Zealand basketball team, playing in their first international tournament, faced the US Dream team. The "Tall Blacks", as they dubbed themselves, were, fatally, neither black nor particularly tall. They were a ragtag mix of kids and old guys who looked as if they'd been dragged from the pub to make up the numbers.

"There was two dream teams out there tonight - the Americans and ourselves, because it was a dream for us just to be on the same court," declared Peter Pokai. Guys like Pokai are what made this occasion great. Greying around the temples, Pokai was as wide as the USA's Kevin Garnett was long. Think Jimmy Fivebellies in Nikes.

For the 17,000 fans in the Dome, Pokai was living out an everyday, idle fantasy. He was playing against the gods. The poster on the bedroom wall had come to life.

When he goes home to Lower Hutt, Wellington, he'll be able to tell his grandchildren - several of whom might well have watched the game - of his unforgettable final game with New Zealand. He'll be able to reminisce about how Vince Carter exploded past him and dunked in his face. About how Gary Peyton stripped him, at least seven times. About how he ran into Vin Baker and had to check to see if his head was still in place. And about how, at the end, having been beaten by a good 50 points, he and his team lined up at centre court and performed the Haka in front of the incredulous Dream hoop stars. The Aussies in the Dome shook the rafters in appreciation. The Americans looked seriously confused.

Afterwards, the US press went scurrying to find out what it had been about. "Now, lemme ask ya something," said an excited guy holding a Westwood One mike.

"Just now, you guys seemed to line up in the middle of the court, facing the Americans and you did a little . . . dance kinda thing. What was that about?"

It led to prolonged discussions in the corridors about the Maoris and the tradition and even Jonah Lomu.

"The Ha Ka? And it's a war challenge? Shouldn't you guys have done that, like, before the game?"

The New Zealanders were prevented from performing it in their previous games, as it clashed with IOC regulations, but they decided just before facing the Americans that they would bow out with the Haka. So, after the buzzer, with the Dream Teamers preparing to slouch off the court, the Kiwis assumed the traditional war stance.

"You know, when they turned us round and New Zealand started doing this ritual or celebration, I really didn't know what was goin' on," admitted Kevin Garnett. "I mean, not to disrespect New Zealand culture, but I totally didn't know what it was. I just sat back and gave them the respect - they asked for the floor and that we face them and watch it and . . . I thought it was kinda neat. It shows a bit of togetherness. I'm a guy that's into team work, I thrive on that, so I thought it was pretty cool, even though I didn't know what it was they were at."

It was a gallant close to a match that was all one-way traffic. The New Zealanders did everything except take the court with autograph books.

"It was an amazing thing to see these guys on the floor having watched them on TV so often. Just incredibly exciting. All day long their was a real buzz in the team about playing them. I mean, we knew we were going to get thrashed, but we decided to go out there and have some fun," said Phil Jones, the Kiwi's best player.

And they had their moments. Rob Hickey's basket - it stands out because it was his only one - was a highlight. It wasn't a perfect three, a la Tim Hardaway, or a soaring reverse slam of the kind that Ray Allen favoured. No, it was just a 10-foot jump-shot that most novices would make. But for Rob, with his two centimetre vertical jump and his PC Plod feet pointing to either end of the court, it was gold. He watched the ball sink through the netting, then raised his arms in the air, all chariots of fire, and embarked on a prolonged and ungainly celebration the whole way up the sideline. He was still in raptures when Jason Kidd fired home a shot for the US at the other end. But it didn't matter.

Pokai added: "Everyone playing them should just go out and enjoy it. What athletes! Play them as a team. 'Cos if you try to get individual on them, it could get really ugly. But we gave it our best shot. Loved it, mate, loved it."