The Tall Blacks Select team has beaten Team China 84-77 in Guangdong overnight.
It was a tight start, with the team separated by only 4 points heading into halftime. The third quarter would be the Tall Blacks Select best quarter of the night, extending their lead to 12 by the end of the third.
Led ably by Tall Black centurion and Manawatū Jets guard, Corey Webster (19 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals), the Tall Black Select were dominant throughout the night.
Outrebounding China 47-32, the Tall Blacks Select owned the boards on both ends of the floor, pulling down 18 offensive rebounds. Taranaki Airs forward, James Moors leading the way in that respect, recording an efficient double-double with 14 points (70% FG) and 12 rebounds.
Isaac Miller-Jose also impressive, with 11 points (4/4 FG) in just 9 minutes of action. Tobias Cameron and Sean Murphy also added 8 points to the cause.
It’s an extraordinary win for the young Tall Blacks Select squad, that featured seven players getting their first experience at playing at a senior international level.
Veteran Tall Black forward, Jordan Ngatai, was impressive by the group performance despite their roster being finalised just five days before the match took place.
“I’m proud of the young players on the team. They played very well tonight.”
Tall Blacks Select, held no more than five trainings together before taking on one of the best team’s in the Asian region.
Coached by Canterbury’s Ben Sheat, who was ably assisted by NZ U17 Women’s head coach Liam Connelly, and Auckland Tuatara assistant Sione Maama, the squad were stoked with their win.
“Definitely super proud of the players and staff. To put out that kind of performance in after 4 trainings together really sums up what it means to put on the New Zealand jersey. We are always going to our best foot forward and not make excuses no matter the situation.”
Coach Sheat really leaning on what it means to pull on the black singlet, no matter the occasion.
“We wanted to do our best to replicate the Tall Blacks style of play from the start and I think we did a great job of that.
Doing the little things really well and focusing on the process. Winning the physicality battle and defensive communication in our systems to get on the same page probably were two of the biggest things.”
Sheat also putting great value in having the experience of Jordan Ngatai and Corey Webster around camp during the tour.
“Both Corey and Jordan were massive on and off the court for us. The way the lead from the front was impressive and having their experience around was huge for us.”
For Webster, it marked a return to international basketball, following an achilles tear in during last year’s NBL season that saw him sidelined for months.
“For all of us being part of Corey’s return from injury and wearing the New Zealand singlet was a privilege and we are all excited to see him in this upcoming window.”
Ngatai, Webster and Tobias Cameron will travel to the Philippines as apart of Judd Flavell’s Tall Blacks squad for Window 4 of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, all three giving us a small glimpse of what we can expect to see from them in the coming week.
Tall Blacks Select 84 (Webster 17p, Moors 14p, 12r, Ngatai 13p, 3r, 3a, 4s) defeat Team China 77 (Liao 17p, Jiao Boqiao 14p, Hu 13p)
Tall Blacks Select Roster:
G Tobias Cameron (Southland Sharks/New Zealand Breakers)
G Tukaha Cooper (Southland Sharks/New Zealand Breakers)
G Kazlo Evans Jr (Manawatū Jets/New Zealand Breakers)
F Isaac Miller-Jose (Otago Nuggets)
F James Moors (Taranaki Airs)
G/F Sean Murphy (North Gold Coast Seahawks)
F Jordan Ngatai (Tauranga Whai)
G/F Zach Riley (Auckland Tuatara)
F Kiani Saxon (Tauranga Whai)
G Corey Webster (Manawatū Jets)
C Luca Yates (Cairns Taipans)
HC Ben Sheat
AC Liam Connelly, Sione Maama
