Basketball New Zealand

FIBA Oceania Tournament

New Zealand’s Emerging Tall Ferns finished runner-up at the FIBA Oceania Tournament in Saipan, after a 68-45 loss to Australia in the women’s final on Friday night.

A disastrous second quarter, which saw the New Zealand U21 team out-scored 26-2, put the game out of reach, despite the Kiwis winning the other three quarters by a combined 43-42.

The Emerging Ferns made just one of their 20 field goal attempts in the second quarter as they fell behind 43-17 at halftime and shot an anemic 21 percent from the floor for the game.

Nelson’s Jelena Vucinic, daughter of Tall Blacks head coach Nenad Vucinic, top-scored for New Zealand with nine points (3/11 FG, 1/6 3pt, 2/2 FT), adding four steals and three assists in 24 minutes. Waikato’s Miriam Slatter had seven points and seven rebounds.

Despite losing the battle on the boards 52-36, the Kiwis committed 11 fewer turnovers than the champion Australians, leading to 14 more shot attempts but 12 less successful baskets.

Earlier, Canterbury’s Miranda Caldwell posted a double-double with 18 points (7/10 FG, 2/4 3pt, 2/6 FT) and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes as New Zealand beat New Caledonia 71-39 on Friday morning to advance to the final.

Pip Connell, of Canterbury, had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and former Christchurch Siren squad member Natalie Moore added 11 points, while Waitakere City’s Emma Gillespie grabbed nine rebounds and Counties Manukau guard Jordan Hunter had six steals and four assists.

New Zealand dominated the rebounding battle 62-39 and were in charge in the first, third and fourth quarters, beating the New Caledonians for the second time in as many days.

A pair of poor fourth quarters saw the Emerging Tall Blacks U21 team drop both their semifinal and bronze medal playoff on Friday.

Otago’s Luke Aston had a team-high 14 points (4/9 FG, 3/7 3pt, 3/4 FT) with four rebounds as New Zealand fell 70-55 to Guam to finish fourth, following their 78-49 semifinal loss to eventual winners Australia earlier in the day.

The Kiwis were still in the game, down five points after three periods, but gave up a 28-18 final quarter to lose their fifth straight game in Saipan.

Hayden Miller, also of Otago, had 11 points and Porirua’s Jordan Mills nine points, while Porirua’s Joe Maiava and West Auckland’s Zach Makavilitogia shared a team-high nine rebounds.

It all fell apart in the fourth quarter for the Emerging Tall Blacks in their semifinal against Australia, Still within range, down 12 points after three periods, New Zealand were out-scored 28-11 in the fourth as Australia turned on the pressure and made 11 of their 19 field goal attempts in the quarter.

Mills top-scored with 16 points (6/11 FG, 3/6 3pt, 1/1 FT) in 21 minutes, while Makavilitogia had eight points, seven rebounds and three assists.

FIBA Oceania Tournament

Friday, June 26

Women

Final
Australia 68 (Rebecca Cole 18, Caitlin Rowe 16, Hope Terdich 11) Emerging Tall Ferns 45 (Jelena Vucinic 9)
1Q: 17-15
HT: 43-17 (26-2)
3Q: 58-30 (15-13)
FT: 68-45 (10-15)

Semifinal
Emerging Tall Ferns 71 (Miranda Caldwell 18, Pip Connell 12, Natalie Moore 11) New Caledonia 39 (Eugenie Folituu 9)
1Q: 18-5
HT: 31-15 (13-10)
3Q: 45-24 (14-9)
FT: 71-39 (26-15)

Men

Bronze Medal Game
Guam 70 (Andrew Borja 16, Joe Blas 15, William Stinnett 13, Vince Estelle 12) Emerging Tall Blacks 55 (Luke Aston 14, Hayden Miller 11)
1Q: 17-15
HT: 29-27 (12-12)
3Q: 42-37 (13-10)
FT: 70-55 (28-18)

Semifinal
Australia 78 (Jeromie Hill 22, Kurtis Phillips 17) Emerging Tall Blacks 49 (Jordan Mills 16)
1Q: 16-13
HT: 36-31 (20-18)
3Q: 50-38 (14-7)
FT: 78-49 (28-11)