New Zealand made basketball history when they beat Asian champions China for the first time yesterday to achieve a consolation win in the three-match series.
The Tall Blacks won 100-85 in Qinhuangdao to end the series 2-1 losers but considerably buoyed as they continue their build-up for the world championships
starting in the United States in late August.
"The boys are very excited and happy to head back to New Zealand, not as series winners but at least with some success and enjoyment from their visit to China," coach Tab Baldwin said.
"It was a huge effort and I'm proud to be part of this team. They say you're only as good as your last game. In our last game, we were winners."
The New Zealanders overcame China's significant height advantage for the first time in the series, showing a feistiness on offence and defence which rattled the Chinese.
Baldwin demanded a more aggressive effort from big men Pero Cameron, Ed Book and Robert Hickey for this match to deny China possession.
It largely worked. Yao Ming still got a game-high 29 points, including 11 from the free-throw line and only seven in the second half. But Mengke Bateer totalled just five points for the match.
The Tall Blacks forced 26 turnovers and committed only 10 themselves. Their conversion rate from the line was 76 per cent compared with the home side's 55 per cent.
New Zealand were on course to cause a boilover when they led 63-51 at halftime.
The third quarter was an ugly deadlock, marred by captain Pero Cameron's exit through injury.
The calf muscle that had bothered him throughout the tour had him hobble to the sideline with his side nine ahead.
The Tall Blacks never flinched, extending their advantage to 20 points in the final quarter and driving many of the partisan 5000-strong crowd out of the stadium early.
- NZPA
