Basketball: Junior Tall Blacks fall to US at Under-19 World Cup, face Slovenia for bronze

Joshua Wyllie in possession for the Junior Tall Blacks. Photo / Fiba

The Junior Tall Blacks still have the chance to create history despite crashing out of the Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland.

New Zealand were outclassed 120–64 by the United States in their semifinal clash at Lausanne Arena.

The Junior Tall Blacks will now face Slovenia in the bronze-medal match on Monday morning, as they attempt to become the first New Zealand team to win a medal at a global tournament.

New Zealand’s previous best finish at a Fiba 5x5 World Cup was fourth place, achieved by the 2002 senior Tall Blacks and the 2024 U17 side, which featured five players from the current squad.

The country’s best result at the U19 tournament came in 2017, when they finished 11th.

Coach Matt Lacey was disappointed with the result but proud of the players for reaching the final four.

“We put a game plan together where we wanted to come out fighting and punching first, and we just weren’t really able to get going tonight,” Lacey said.

“Super proud of the guys, and you know we still have an opportunity to make history and get a bronze medal.”

New Zealand opened the scoring against the Americans through Julius Halaifonua, but that was the only time the Kiwis led in the match.

Halaifonua was New Zealand’s top scorer with 15 points, while Jackson Ball contributed 12.

The US had six players in double figures, led by Caleb Holt with 20 points. They will face Germany in the gold medal match.

Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.