The Tall Blacks have qualified for the FIBA Asia Cup next year after beating Chinese Taipei 81-64 in Christchurch.
It was a good bounce back for the Tall Blacks after their first defeat to the Philippines four days ago and came thanks to a much-improved fourth quarter after a scratchy second and third had given the visitors some hope of an upset.
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Both teams started nervously, the Tall Blacks missing their first six shots at the basket and a couple of free throws before Walter Brown opened the scoring with two from the charity stripe with almost three minutes played.
The home side then started to find their range, led by Shea Ili and Izayah Le’afa from the bench with three triples in quick succession, but Chinese Taipei continued to struggle, shooting a terrible 21 percent from the floor as the Tall Blacks ended the first quarter 23-6 ahead.
There were multiple personal milestones on the night, 17-year-old Oscar Goodman took to the floor for the first time for the Tall Blacks, coming into the game late in the first quarter, in the process becoming the ninth-youngest player to earn that honour at 17 years and 293 days.
Kaia Isaac followed Goodman as a first time Tall Black, as the NZ Breakers development guard made his presence felt with a weak side rebound and lay-up, as Judd Flavell went deep into his roster in the second of two games and extensive travel from the Philippines.
Chinese Taipei lifted their defensive intensity early in the second quarter, helped by the significant presence of 7-foot naturalised player Brandon Gilbeck, the rim protection provided by the former American was changing shots and keeping the Tall Blacks out of the paint.
Corey Webster was given no room outside the arc leaving Le’afa from outside and Hyrum Harris in the paint to take on the scoring burden for the Tall Blacks, but the second quarter was all the visitors, winning it by 12 to close the gap to just five points at the main break.
Poor offence was to blame for the home side, shooting just 12-of-41 from the floor, including an ice-cold 4-of-20 from deep. Seven first-half turnovers did not help the cause either, as the New Zealanders allowed Chinese Taipei back into a game.
While the offence continued to struggle, the Tall Blacks played better defence in the third as the two teams went toe to toe, if not bucket for bucket in a 15 points apiece quarter of basketball, New Zealand led 42-37 with 10 minutes to play.
Fouls were playing a part as Chinese Taipei were physical on the New Zealanders, constantly putting the Tall Blacks to the line with Gilbeck taking a fourth personal.
Shea Ili and Tom Vodanovich then drove to the rim, with a Waardenburg dunk extending the lead to 12 and forcing Coach Gianluca Tucci to call time out
The Tall Blacks then shut down the Chinese Taipei offence and on the back of some inspired play by Ili and Waardenburg extended to 17, allowing Judd Flavell the luxury of rolling his bench and giving yet another debut, this time to 18-year-old Carter Hopoi.
The New Zealanders now go into hiatus until the final qualifying window for the FIBA Asia Cup in February.
After a road trip to Hong Kong, the Tall Blacks round out their qualifying programme with a much-anticipated return clash with Philippines at home.
New Zealand 81 (Sam Waardenburg 16, Shea Ili 12, Tom Vodanovich 11) Chinese Taipei 64 (Mohammad Al Bachir Gadiaga 14, Chun Hsiang Lu 12, Ying-Chun Chen 12). 1Q: 23-6, HT: 37-32, 3Q: 52-47