Emerging Teams Split
Tagged in: FIBA Oceania, National Teams
New Zealand’s Emerging Tall Ferns completed section play in second at the FIBA Oceania Tournament in Saipan on Thursday.
With New Plymouth’s Zoe Kensington, Nelson’s Jelena Vucinic and Waitakere City’s Emma Gillespie top-scoring with 16 points, the Emerging Ferns cruised to a 101-43 win over New Caledonia, improving to 3-1 and setting up a semifinal game with New Caledonia on Friday at 11am (NZ time).
Gillespie hit on 6-of-8 field goal attempts, adding eight rebounds and four steals in 23 minutes for New Zealand, who powered ahead in the middle quarters, taking the second 28-12 and third 30-7.
The Kiwis, who converted just under 50 percent of their shots from the field and forced 61 turnovers, also had three other players score in double figures, with Canterbury’s Miranda Caldwell going for 15 points, Waikato’s Miriam Slatter 13 points and Canterbury’s Natalie Moore 12 points.
Caldwell added eight boards and six steals, while Hutt Valley’s Sonya Milford pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, Counties Manukau guard Jordan Hunter dropped seven assists and Moore also thieved a half-dozen steals.
On the contrast, the Emerging Tall Blacks dropped their third game of the tournament on Thursday, falling to 1-3 after a 71-43 loss to Guam, seting up a semifinal match-up with trans-Tasman rivals Australia at 1pm (NZ time) on Friday.
Low shooting percentages and turnovers were again the downfall for the national U21 men’s team, converting on 28 percent of their field goal attempts and handing the ball back 29 times.
Otago’s Luke Aston was the only Kiwi to score 10-plus with 11 points, while West Auckland’s Zach Makavilitogia had nine points and an equal team-high seven rebounds, which he shared with Porirua pair Joe Maiava and Jake Ashby.
FIBA Oceania Tournament
Thursday, June 25
Emerging Tall Ferns 101 (Zoe Kensington 16, Jelena Vucinic 16, Emma Gillespie 16, Miranda Caldwell 15, Miriam Slatter 13, Natalie Moore 12) New Caledonia 43 (Myriam Fenuafanote 16)
1Q: 21-13
HT: 49-25 (28-12)
3Q: 79-32 (30-7)
FT: 101-43 (22-11)
Emerging Tall Ferns vs New Caledonia Box Score
Guam 71 (Joe Blas 17, William Stinnett 11, Jine Han 10) Emerging Tall Blacks 48 (Luke Aston 11)
1Q: 21-13
HT: 43-24 (22-11)
3Q: 53-29 (10-5)
FT: 71-48 (18-19)
