New Zealand’s Tall Blacks have claimed their first victory of the FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign, grinding out a narrow 69–66 win over the Philippines in a high-pressure contest in Manila.
After opening the group with consecutive defeats to world No.6 Australia, the Tall Blacks steadied their campaign with a composed defensive effort, led by a dominant all-round performance from Sam Mennenga, who controlled the paint with key rebounds and crucial late contributions as the hosts surged in front of a vocal home crowd.
Max Darling finished as New Zealand’s leading scorer with 11 points, while debutant Keanu Rasmussen also earned his first international minutes.
The result strengthens New Zealand’s position in the four-team pool, where the top three sides progress, ahead of their next qualifier against Guam despite an expected reshuffled lineup due to club commitments.
