The Junior Tall Ferns have stormed home to a 107-28 win over hosts Papua New Guinea last night, at the FIBA U17 Oceania Champs in Port Moresby.
The Kiwis were dominant at both ends of the court, holding PNG to just 11 made shots at a 20% clip while forcing them into 34 turnovers. The New Zealand U17 team shot 48% from the field while outrebounding their opponents 63-33, registering 18 steals – which they turned directly into 41 points – and holding a 46-4 advantage in points scored in the paint.
Rebecca Moors led all scores with 16 points on 8-10 shooting, along with 7 rebounds & 3 steals. Kavanah Lene scored 14 points, Kaelani Albert-Neha 13 and Elise Gilbert 11; Elise Carline with 9 points & a huge 15reb (6 offensive) off the bench.
For Papua New Guinea, Clarice Hane scored 10 points and 9 rebounds, while Gibella Maikai and Lahui Hekwa added 5 points each. PNG can take away some positives from the game, with their hard work seeing them earn 11 steals and also 11 offensive rebounds on the night.
The game began in dominant fashion for New Zealand as they built up a 14-0 lead in the first 3 minutes. That lead grew to 42-7 lead by the end of the first quarter, with the Kiwis holding PNG to 2/11 shooting and forcing 10 turnovers; while New Zealand had 10 players on the scoreboard in a balanced team effort.
The second and third quarters saw the Kiwis continue to run up the scoreboard, holding PNG to just 7 made shots while New Zealand shot an improved 6-14 from beyond the arc over this stretch. The Junior Tall Ferns elected to pump the brakes in the final period, giving up several easy inside shots to instead attempt a barrage of three pointers – going 0-13 from beyond the arc and scoring just 8 points in the quarter to PNG’s seven.
Finishing in third place after group play, New Zealand now progresses to the semi-final game against Samoa on Friday at 9pm NZT – with the winner taking on Australia in the Grand Final. Watch live at www.youtube.com/fiba
Stats:
New Zealand 107 – Moors 16 PTS & 7 REB | Lene 14 PTS | Albert-Neha 13 PTS & 5 REB | Gilbert 11 PTS | Pavihi 9 PTS | Carline 8 PTS & 15 REB | Kohunui 8 PTS | Bright 7 PTS & 4 STL | Scott 6 PTS & 6 REB | Leger-Walker 6 PTS |Harrington 5 PTS & 6 REB | Lassey 4 PTS
PNG 28 – Hane 10 PTS & 9 REB | Maikai 5 PTS | Hekwa 5 PTS
Box Score: http://bbnz.link/U17WNZLvPNG
Quarter scores: 42-7, 73-13, 21-99, 28-107
FIBA U17 Women’s Oceania Championships – NZ Results
3 Oct – NZL vs Samoa (LOST 59-74)
4 Oct – NZL vs Australia, 7.45pm NZT (LOST 72-81)
5 Oct – NZL vs Papua New Guinea, 7.45pm, NZT (WON 107-28)
U17 Oceania Champs – NZ U17 Women’s Squad
- Kaelani Albert-Neha, Waikato Basketball
- Arna Bright, Taranaki Basketball
- Elise Carline, Basketball Otago
- Elise Gilbert, Waikato basketball
- Katie Harrington, Outside of NZ
- Waiheke Kohunui, Rotorua Basketball
- Olivia Lassey, Tauranga City Basketball
- Tannika Leger-Walker, Waikato Basketball
- Kavanah Lene, Canterbury Basketball
- Rebecca Moors, Harbour Basketball
- Tia Pavihi, Wellington Basketball
- Annika Scott, Outside NZ
- Amy Pateman was selected for this squad but withdrew due to injury
