One For The Road?
Tagged in: Tall Blacks
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They may have let this chance slip, but the Dominion Finance NZ Tall Blacks showed they deserve another shot at Olympic qualification with a hard-fought (and still rare) 67-58 win over Australia in Brisbane.
It was New Zealandís seventh victory over their trans Tasman rivals and only the second victory on Australian soil.
Trailing by four points into the final stretch, the Kiwis were not to be denied, producing a 13-2 run that swept them back into the driverís seat and reclaiming some respect after their comprehensive losses earlier in the FIBA Oceania Championships.
Amid speculation that a golden era of Tall Black basketball had officially ended, the players and coaching staff made a statement that there is life in the old legs yet.
ìItís certainly good to finish on this note, but it certainly brings out even more the disappointment that we didnít win the series and qualify direct to the Beijing Olympics,î said coach Nenad Vucinic.
ìI think the biggest difference for us was the pressure that we have been put under Ö and Iím not talking about the pressure the Australian team put on us, which was very good. From the moment we arrived in Australia, we were bombarded with information about problems within our organization and about how this team have to be the saviours of New Zealand basketball.
ìThis group of guys has brought New Zealand to levels that no one has dreamed of. To be put under the pressure that unless they win, Basketball New Zealand will go down the gurgler is unfair.î
With the Olympic berth gone, Vucinic had implored his team to shrug off the pressure and play for themselves. They had let themselves down badly in the second half of Game Two and if this was to be the last time this trailblazing generation took the court together, they should not leave with a whimper.
Obviously, they needed to cut down on the turnovers that had derailed their campaign in Melbourne and Sydney. Under pressure, the Kiwis had lost their poise and, too often, were forced to concoct offence on the fly.
The giveaways had fed the Boomersí opportunities on the break, helping launch the international career of lightning-like point guard Patrick Mills. With the series already wrapped up, coach Brian Goorjian might be expected to give some of his bench warmers a chance to show their wares.
Vucinic named an unchanged starting five – Mark Dickel and Kirk Penney as guards, Dillon Boucher at small forward, and captain Pero Cameron and Craig Bradshaw providing the power.
Goorjian chose not to risk small forward Glen Saville, who had started the series with a wrist injury. Brad Newley was promoted to the starting line-up alongside Darnell Mee, Jason Smith, captain Sam Mackinnon and David Andersen.
Play went more than two minutes before Bradshaw converted an offensive rebound for the gameís first points. New Zealand were showing plenty of passion and creating early opportunities, but not finishing them off.
Mills entered the game and had Australiaís first point, making one from two free throws off a Dickel unsportsmanlike foul. From the subsequent possession, Mark Worthington made a lay-up to snatch the lead, but Bradshaw banked a hook shot to retake it.
Damien Ryan slotted a trey for the Boomers, but Phill Jones responded in kind and added a jumper to stretch the lead to four points. Bradshaw extended it further with a three-point play, but Mills had a trey from the corner.
When Casey Frank made a reverse lay-up, the Tall Blacks enjoyed an 18-12 advantage after a period. They had forced their opponents in seven early turnovers and grabbed five offensive rebounds to fuel their lead and Paul Henare added to the margin with a long deuce to start the second term.
Mackinnon from the top of the key and Ryan struck from the deep corner to close the gap, but the Kiwis suddenly couldnít find the basket. Ryanís third three tied it up at 22-22, but Cameron found Penney cutting to the basket for a lay-up to break the deadlock.
Dickel made one of two from the line and then a three-pointer to restore a four-point break (28-24) heading into the locker room.
Frankly, the first half had been ugly, probably what youíd expect from a dead rubber. The teams had combined for 29.9% FG, 25% 3pt and 42.9% FT. New Zealand were feasting on boards, depriving the Boomers of offensive rebounds while snaffling seven themselves.
The Tall Blacks had really struggled after halftime in their previous outings and needed to reverse that trend if they were to burgle this victory.
Newley immediately cut into the Boomersí deficit with a free throw and a swooping lay-up, Bradshaw was accurate from the line, but Smith rolled in a lay-up and Newley made an acrobatic lay-up off the glass to nudge the home team ahead.
Newley then made a three-point play and another highlight reel effort as the Aussiesí run became nine-points and their lead six. Jones broke the brought with a baseline jumper and Cameron found Bradshaw going to the hoop for another two, but Newley made another lay-up.
With 10 minutes remaining, Australia were four points up and turnovers (14) were starting to mount again for the Kiwis.
Jones made a jumper to cut the deficit to two points early in the final period, then closed to one with a free throw. Cameron retook the lead with a baseline jumper over Ryan and Penney continued the momentum with a floating lay-up.
Smith made two from the stripe, but Cameron drove to the basket and created a three-point play when fouled by Andersen. Halfway through the final quarter the Tall Blacks led by four points and it became seven when Jones connected from deep.
Andersen made a flat baseline jumper, Cameron found Henare for a reverse lay-up to restore the margin, Mackinnon had a three-point play, but Cameron rolled in another lay-up Ö and another.
With 1m 38s remaining, New Zealand held a 60-52 advantage and the game was theirs to lose.
Mee came out of a timeout with a trey to give his side a sniff, but Bradshaw rammed a dunk home at the other end. Newley had another lay-up Ö Henare made a pair of freebies.
When Mills hit the side of the backboard with 54s left, the win was secure and Jones capped it off with a tricky reverse lay-up.
ìWe didnít have what we had in the first two games,î admitted Goorjian. ìThe way the game was played, we knew we were in trouble Ö possession for possession, a close game.
ìI felt the game was played all night in their tone.î
Significantly, the Tall Blacks had not committed a turnover in the final quarter.
The oldest of this aging roster had rolled back the clock for perhaps one last hurrah. Jones (33) defied his vintage for 17 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, while Cameron (33) put together 11 points (nine in the final period), seven rebounds and six assists.
ìItís always nice to beat Australia,î confirmed Jones. ìIt doesnít happen that often.
ìIf it is the last game for some of the guys in the team, it was a nice to go out with a win.
ìIt was a bit of a disappointment that we couldnít give an opportunity to the younger guys coming through to go the Olympics.î
Vucinic believes it is now time to start testing the next wave of New Zealand players and start building for the future. Whether he is part of that process remains to be seen Ö his one-year contract expired as the final buzzer sounded.
ìThese guys have played for years and years, and there have been no opportunities for young guys to come and get experience at this level. We have lots of talent, but they need to get experience leading the team.
ìOver the last 10 years, the same players have been leading this team Ö now we have to face the music.î
FIBA Oceania Championships
Friday, August 24
Game Three, Brisbane
Dominion Finance NZ Tall Blacks 67 (Phill Jones 17, Craig Bradshaw 15, Pero Cameron 11) Australia 58 (Brad Newley 12, Damien Ryan 11)
Quarter 18-12
Halftime 28-24 (10-12)
Threequarter 41-45 (13-21)
Fulltime 67-58 (26-13)
ìPlayed Betterî – Vucinic (WAV 2.5MB)
ìPressureî – Vucinic (WAV 3.8MB)
ìPressureî 2 – Vucinic (WAV 2.9MB)
ìRebuildingî – Vucinic (WAV 4.2MB)
ìNice To Beat Australiaî – Jones (WAV 2.5MB)
