New Zealand has reached the quarter-finals of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup for the first time, defeating China 99-86 in a thrilling match that nearly saw them squander a 20-point lead.
Hayden Jones led the charge with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, expressing pride in the team’s resilience against a determined Chinese side.
This marks a milestone in New Zealand’s junior basketball history, building on the success of several players from last year’s U17 World Cup squad that reached the semi-finals.
The team now awaits a quarter-final clash with either Switzerland or France.
