Basketball New Zealand

New Zealand Junior Tall Blacks

A three-point barrage down the stretch from Puerto Rican guard Raymond Cintron sunk the New Zealand Junior Tall Blacks in their latest FIBA U19 World Championship build-up game in Auckland on Monday.

With the JTBs leading 44-42 with two minutes remaining, Cintron scored nine of his 11 points on three-point bombs, including two from NBA-distance, as New Zealand fell to Puerto Rico 51-44 at ASB Stadium.

Back-up forward David Beck, of Wellington, top-scored for the Junior Tall Blacks with nine points, while Brook Ruscoe finished with eight points.

The Kiwis complete their build-up on Tuesday with a scrimmage against Syria, before they play their FIBA U19 opener against Americas champions Argentina at the North Shore Events Centre, tip-off 8.30pm, on Thursday.

New Zealand led much of the low-scoring game, which utilized a running clock in the third and fourth quarters, until being outscored 13-5 in the fourth period. Big man Carlos Lopez scored a game-high 14 points for Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico 51 (Carlos Lopez 14, Raymond Cintron 11) New Zealand Junior Tall Blacks 44 (David Beck 9, Brook Ruscoe 8)