The Tall Blacks secured a thrilling 90-86 victory against Croatia in their Olympic qualifying tournament opener in Greece.
A decisive final quarter, highlighted by a 13-2 run in the last four minutes, propelled New Zealand to victory. Key plays from Corey Webster and Shea Ili tied the game at 86-all, and despite two missed three-point attempts by Webster, a successful challenge gave New Zealand another opportunity. I
li’s reverse layup and composed free throws by Izayah Le’afa sealed the win, with Ili named man of the match for his 18 points and four assists. Webster led the scoring with 21 points, while Le’afa contributed 14 points.
Croatia’s NBA player Ivica Zubac set a new FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament efficiency record with 43, scoring 29 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
Tall Blacks captain Reuben Te Rangi praised the team’s defensive efforts against Zubac, emphasizing their focus on winning games on the defensive end. Coach Pero Cameron expressed confidence in his team’s readiness for the challenge, highlighting the significance of the competition for New Zealand.
The Tall Blacks aim to win their group by defeating NBA star Luka Doncic’s Slovenia in their next game to advance to the semi-finals. The winner of the tournament will earn a spot in the Paris Olympics this month, an opportunity Cameron’s team has been eagerly anticipating and preparing for.
