Tall Ferns’ Olympic Games hopes end after loss to Puerto Rico

Tera Reed in action during the Tall Ferns' loss to Puerto Rico.

A two-point loss to Puerto Rico today has ended the Tall Ferns’ hopes of playing at the Paris Olympics.

A win would have been enough to secure Olympic qualification for the first time since 2008 and the Tall Ferns led 65-64 with 49sec remaining but Puerto Rico scored the game’s next five points to clinch a 69-67 victory.

New Zealand are contesting an Olympic qualifying tournament in Xi’an which also features hosts China and France, with three of the four teams progressing to Paris.

But after starting with a 99-47 defeat to China on Friday, today’s result confirmed the Tall Ferns as the sole side to miss out, even before their final game against France tonight.

After leading 25-16  at the end of the first quarter, the Tall Ferns struggled in the second, going 1-12 from the field as Puerto Rico held a three-point halftime advantage.

The lead changed several times during the second half, with New Zealand up 51-49 at the final break, but Puerto Rico edged the match in the final minute to qualify for the Olympics for just the second time, following their Tokyo debut three years ago.

Captain Stella Beck impressed for the Tall Ferns with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, including a third-quarter span that saw her score six straight points and take her second charge of the game.

But New Zealand couldn’t stop Puerto Rico’s hot shooting from downtown, with their opponents hitting 11 triples at a 33 per cent clip and several big shots at key moments.

Esra McGoldrick added an 11 point-10 rebound double-double, while Ritorya Tamilo contributed a solid 10 points and six rebounds, and Tera Reed and Lauren Whittaker chipped in with seven points and five rebounds each. McKenna Dale made her Tall Ferns debut, scoring nine points in the first quarter before being forced off due to injury.

New Zealand slightly out-shot Puerto Rico from the field (35.7 per cent v 33 per cent) and enjoyed a 34-20 points advantage in the paint but again struggled from long range, shooting just 4-28 from outside the arc.

“We’re very disappointed to lose but congratulations to Puerto Rico,” said Tall Ferns coach Guy Molloy. “It was a very close game that went right down to the end.”

“I’m gutted for us and the girls but it was a hard fight and they [Puerto Rico] deserved it,” said Beck.

The Tall Blacks are still a chance of qualifying for Paris but must win a six-team tournament in Piraeus in early July.

The tournament also includes hosts Greece, Slovenia and the Dominican Republic — all ranked higher than world No 21 New Zealand — plus Croatia and Egypt.