The Aon Junior Tall Ferns gave China everything they could handle on Monday evening, but it wasnt quite enough as they fell 67-58 in their second Asian Championship game.
Charlisse Leger-Walker was phenomenal for New Zealand, compiling 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals. Charlotte Whittaker added 12points, and Leah Mafua scored 10.
New Zealand got off to a promising start, leading 16-13 after the first quarter. They led by as much as five points in the first half, but China found their footing in the second half and were able to build a lead. The game featured 16 lead changes in total, a testament to the effort on both sides.
Head coach Jody Cameron praised the teams effort against some tough competition.
"Weve got a very young team and were playing against girls who play every week, so credit to our girls for competing and playing well against some of the regions top teams.
"For our next game, we need to focus on our rebounding and taking care of the ball; limiting our turnovers will be key."
New Zealand play Malaysia in their final pool game later tonight. Malaysia have lost both of their prior games, scoring just 59 points across those contests. You can watch the game LIVE on the FIBA Youtube channel or on the Basketball New Zealand Facebook page.
The full box score from the game can be found HERE.
