NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Basketball

Tall Blacks go ten in a row with a dagger to the heart of Lebanon

By Basketball New Zealand
Fuseworks·
22 Feb, 2019 11:55 PM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Led by Tom Abercrombie, the Tall Blacks broke Lebanese hearts and once again showed they are a force to be reckoned with on the international stage with a clutch 69-67 victory in Beirut tonight (Saturday), notching their tenth consecutive FIBA World Cup qualifying victory to stay top of Asia Group E with just a clash with Jordan (Sunday) to play.

This was always going to be an arm wrestle in one of the most intimidating and deafening environments in sport, with 8,000 fans literally hanging from the rafters at Nouhad Nawfal Stadium in Zouk Mikael, Beirut, and it was the Tall Blacks who came out strongest on the back of some clutch shooting and huge defensive plays from the team in white.

While much of the attention will rightly be on Abercrombies ice cool three to finally separate the sides, the truth is there were many such moments throughout the match, not the least of which were supplied by Finn Delany, who went into beast mode for his 15 points and 8 rebounds, living above the rim for much of the game including one 'and one' posterizing of Lebanese centre Ater Majok.

Head Coach Paul Henare spoke of his pride in a group that continues to find ways to win in the toughest of environments as they continue to march towards the World Cup in China later this year.

"That crowd is one of the best if not the best atmosphere and environments that you can ever play a basketball game in. Talk to any of the senior guys out there, they will tell you that is one of the top venues they have ever played in, that is credit to the fans and what is on the line. they were playing for their World Cup dreams so for us to fight through all of that I am really proud of the group."

"We spoke a lot as a team coming into the game about what this stadium was like. We spoke about this being a game of runs, knowing they would make some shots, make some plays. We had to stay grounded as a team and stay solid and tight as a team. That game could have gone either way, that is three in a row know against Lebanon and we have just been fortunate to come out on the right side of the ledger."

Henare described a typical Tall Black performance, with contributors across the roster, on offense and defense.

"Everyone that stepped on the floor contributed well. As an example, the play that Jordan Ngatai made - we were down by a few points, we drew up a play to get Jordan into the post and he made a settling basket from the post. For him to be ready and contribute in such an environment speaks volumes for our whole team and throughout the game we had different guys step up and make different plays at both ends."

Henare did reserve special praise for the final offensive play though, one that had many moving parts.

"The boys were extremely locked in out of the time out, they did exactly what was asked of them. Not many will notice but the cut that Reuben Te Rangi made just made Tommys man sink in a little bit more, the screen from Rob Loe and the pass from Mika was right in the shot pocket. Tommy still has to make the shot, but there were a lot of working parts in that play and to be able to execute with what was on the line in that environment was pleasing."

Abercrombie played with a rare passion and energy. Often someone who stays within himself, he was demonstrably leading the team and urging them on at different times in the match and took huge pride in his role in the win.

"I love it, it is always refreshing and rejuvenating to get back in this environment with the brothers, we have a great camaraderie and chemistry in this team and it is a pleasure to go out and fight with them and to play in a hostile environment like we did tonight, you rely on that brotherhood even more and that was a real special win tonight.

"it is hard to describe that environment, watching on TV wont give you a true feel for what it is like. That is one of the best atmospheres I have ever played in, the fans are incredible and as a player that I sjust so motivating to go out and play in front of a crowd like that. You cant help but get a little more amped and emotional about things. The crowd is literally riding every point, it is real special."

Abercrombie was quick to praise his team mates in the final offensive play.

"We ran the play to a T. Ruebs did a great job cutting hard down the lane and drawing my defender a little bit and once he bit, I knew I would get a pretty good look. It is a side I like coming off and shooting it from, Rob cleaned him up pretty good and I got a great clean look. I had hit one from a couple of possessions before, so I was feeling pretty good and let it fly. To hit a shot like that in an atmosphere like that is a cool feeling and one I will remember for a long time."

The team now travels to Jordan tomorrow (Saturday local time) to suit up again on Sunday afternoon in their final qualifying game against Jordan who tonight impressed in a win over China, knowing that a win will put the Kiwis in the race for top seeding out of Asia for the FIBA World Cup draw, to be made on March 16.

MBO Tall Blacks 69

Abercrombie 19, Delany 15

Lebanon 67

Ali Haidar 16, Wael Arakji 13

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE

MBO Tall Blacks

Tom Abercrombie SKYCITY Breakers, Finn Delany SKYCITY Breakers, Tyrell Harrison Brisbane Bullets, Shea Ili SKYCITY Breakers, Jarrod Kenny Cairns Taipans, Rob Loe Cairns Taipans, Jordan Ngatai SKYCITY Breakers, Kruz Perrott-Hunt SKYCITY Breakers Development, Alex Pledger Melbourne United, Tohi Smith-Milner Melbourne United, Reuben Te Rangi Brisbane Bullets, Tom Vodanovich SKYCITY Breakers, Mika Vukona Brisbane Bullets, Corey Webster SKYCITY Breakers

Head Coach Paul Henare

Assistant Coaches Pero Cameron, Michael Fitchett

Physio Anousith Bouaaphone

Massage Therapist Shelley Moana Hiha

Doctor Hamish Osborne

Manager Andrew Dewhurst

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Basketball New Zealand

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Basketball

Basketball

'Frustrating': Junior Tall Blacks' $5000 barrier to compete at World Cup

08 Jul 07:00 PM
Basketball

Junior Tall Blacks fall to US at U19 World Cup

05 Jul 10:58 PM
Basketball

Junior Tall Blacks reach U19 World Cup semifinals

04 Jul 11:25 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Basketball

'Frustrating': Junior Tall Blacks' $5000 barrier to compete at World Cup

'Frustrating': Junior Tall Blacks' $5000 barrier to compete at World Cup

08 Jul 07:00 PM

Each player had to pay $5000 to feature at the U19 World Cup in Switzerland.

Junior Tall Blacks fall to US at U19 World Cup

Junior Tall Blacks fall to US at U19 World Cup

05 Jul 10:58 PM
Junior Tall Blacks reach U19 World Cup semifinals

Junior Tall Blacks reach U19 World Cup semifinals

04 Jul 11:25 PM
Premium
Kiwi athletes urged to watch what they wear - or risk falling foul of drug testers

Kiwi athletes urged to watch what they wear - or risk falling foul of drug testers

29 Jun 12:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP