If playing to qualify for the 2016 FIBA under-17 world championship wasn't nerve-racking enough, Illawarra juniors Kyle Zunic and Lachlan Dent had to do it in front of some of their biggest idols.

The up-and-coming guards played as part of the Australian squad which won gold at the under-16 Oceania Championship last week.

In a thrilling final, Australia outlasted trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 91-86 to seal their passage to next year's World Championships in Spain.

The crucial decider was played as a curtain-raiser to the Boomers' 89-79 triumph over the Talls Blacks in the men's Oceania Championship which earned them a spot at the Rio Olympics.

"It was pretty cool because they are obviously role models to both of us," Dent said.

"It was good to play in front of them, ... maybe earn some respect off them, I guess.

"Obviously Patty Mills and Matt Dellavedova are very highly regarded.

"I try and watch all of them and see what personal traits they have and how I can implement that into in my game.

"I love [Chris] Goulding's moves as well. Those three are the ones I adore."

Dent, 15, and Zunic, 16, showed no signs of being over-awed by the presence of their idols.

After trailing the Kiwis early, Australia held a 15-point lead at one stage in the third quarter before holding on for a five-point win.

"We were up for most of the game and were playing well," Zunic said.

"We had lost to them by about 19 points in the round games but we were up throughout that game."

"Towards the end they started fouling and we knocked down free-throws. They couldn't keep up."

Zunic and Dent traded guard duties throughout the tournament, with the latter filling the starting role.

He had 14 points, five assists, five steals in the final.

"We learnt a lot. It was a good experience and good to get back home to bring the knowledge over to others," Dent said.

"I felt like when I was on, I did my role and then when [Zunic] came on it was no different. The level didn't drop, it was the same sort of playing field.

"We finished off really well. As the tournament went on we got a lot better."

Both guards will have 12 months to prove they're up to playing on junior basketball's biggest stage in Spain.

"It is our the main goal to make that squad," Zunic said.

"We still have to go through the selection process again so they will pick the squad of 16 again and we will go through camps to narrow it down.

"We definitely both want to make that final team."