Basketball: Serbia shut down NZ shooter

Kirk Penney. Photo / Getty Images

A dramatic third-quarter turnaround saw the New Zealand basketball team drop the opening game of their build-up to the world championships 76-71 to Serbia in Istanbul, Turkey yesterday.

However Tall Blacks head coach Nenad Vucinic was not too disappointed with the result against the talented Serbs.

Shooter Kirk Penney was in excellent touch and New Zealand seemed to be cruising with a nine-point lead just before halftime. But the tide turned after the break when the Serbians swept to a double-digit advantage and shut Penney down, limiting him to just one shot, which he missed, during the third period.

Meanwhile, the NZ Breakers left yesterday for a hastily arranged trip to China to play in a pre-season tournament. A developmental side have joined the six team, all-expenses paid Lu An International Invitation Tournament in Changzhi.

- NZPA