World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers: Tall Blacks beat Philippines in key qualifier

The Tall Blacks are off the mark in their World Cup qualifying pool for next year's basketball World Cup, overcoming the Philippines 69-66 in a tense affair in Manila. Sam Mennenga (206-F-2001, college: Davidson) was influential under the basket as New Zealand staved off a charge from the home side and a raucous home crowd over the closing minutes. It follows twin losses for the 25th-ranked Tall Blacks in their two opening Asian qualifying group games against world No.6 Australia last last year which left them on the back foot in their four-team pool. The top three teams advance to the next window, with New Zealand favoured to finish ahead of 36th-ranked Philippines and 79th-ranked Guam. They are away to winless Guam in Mangilao on Sunday, although will field a weakened team, with some Tall Blacks players having committed to link up with their professional clubs immediately after the Philippines game. Forward Maxwell Darling (196-F-2000, agency: Octagon Europe) top scored for New Zealand with 11 points but Warriors centre Mennenga produced the best overall statistics, mixing 10 points with 14 rebounds - including five at the offensive end - four assists, one steal and one block. Adelaide 36ers guard Keanu Rasmussen (188-G-2003, college: CBU) was handed a late appearance on international debut. Coach Judd Flavell was pleased his side emerged victorious in a defence-dominated affair. "We came here to get the win, and we got the job done," Flavell said. "We knew it was gonna be a tough series against Australia in December. Both those games went down to the wire. We got beaten on a last-second bank shot three. There were plenty of positives, so the morale was very good." "The group is very connected. We're not a big country, but that makes us stronger. Because we're a small country we need to be together and play a connected style of basketball. And that's the same off the court." Flavell said a key to victory was shutting down Philippines' main scorer Justin Brownlee (197-F-1988, college: St.John's), who was held to just four points. "He's given us the business before and in recent games, so he was a large focal point for us. I thought that went a long way for us defensively tonight. "It helps that we've played each other a lot and it obviously helps them with us too and our system. But we know he takes a lot of attention. He's a true international scorer, so the intention was that we've just got to be within touching distance of him at all times."
Courtesy of: rnz.co.nz