Draco
2bOrNot2b
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2001
- Posts
- 6,762
Woohoo, earlier this morning (NZ TIme) the kiwi basketballers (Tall Blacks) beat the Russians for the first time ever. 90-81.Russia is ranked at 5th on the conference ladder, while NZ struggled to even get to the championship.
GO KIWI's.....
http://www.2002worldbasketball.com/
Cut & Pasted from the Official site (I know, I know...)
The Match Report
Group D: New Zealand 90, Russia 81
By Greg Weitekamp
Indianapolis, Aug. 29 - This was the first time New Zealand had qualified for the World Basketball Championships. In the second half, the fans found out just exactly how they accomplished it.
New Zealand erased a 19-point second-half deficit with tremendous hustle and outstanding three-point shooting to defeat Russia 90-81 in the Group D's first preliminary round game at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Russia, which was the runner-up at the 1998 World Championships, jumped out to a 54-35 lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. Behind Peco Cameron, Kirk Penney and Sean Marks, New Zealand slowly chipped away at the deficit. New Zealand, which hit 8-of-13 three-pointers in the second half, took its first lead since early in the first quarter on a Cameron three-pointer with 3:24 remaining.
After Russia tied the game at 79-79 on two free throws by Serguei Tchikalkine with 1:25 remaining, New Zealand closed the game with an 11-2 run, winning its first game ever in World Basketball Championship competition.
"This win helps create some momentum for a great little country down in the South Pacific, but it's just a step," said New Zealand head coach Tab Baldwin. "This is a tournament, it's not the final."
Cameron (22), Marks (21) and Penney (19) combined to score 62 of New Zealand's points including 40 of the team's 55 second-half points.
This was Penney's second consecutive 19-point performance at Conseco Fieldhouse. The University of Wisconsin student paced his team with 19 points in a 54-52 loss in the Big Ten Tournament last spring.
Russia hit just 10-of-29 shots in the second half, while committing eight turnovers.
Russia used its speed and quickness to jump out to a 49-35 and appeared to be in control of the game at the half. New Zealand hurt themselves by committing 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes leading to 17 Russian points.
Russia was led by Rouslan Avleev with 18 points. Tchikalkine added 15, while Zakhar Pachoutine and Alexei Savrasenko were also in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.
New Zealand will look for its second win in World Basketball Championship history against Venezuela Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT at the RCA Dome.
"We're excited. We're thrilled," Baldwin said. "We're proud, but we're alive in this tournament and that's what really matters. If there is a must win, it's tomorrow night."
GO KIWI's.....
http://www.2002worldbasketball.com/
Cut & Pasted from the Official site (I know, I know...)
The Match Report
Group D: New Zealand 90, Russia 81
By Greg Weitekamp
Indianapolis, Aug. 29 - This was the first time New Zealand had qualified for the World Basketball Championships. In the second half, the fans found out just exactly how they accomplished it.
New Zealand erased a 19-point second-half deficit with tremendous hustle and outstanding three-point shooting to defeat Russia 90-81 in the Group D's first preliminary round game at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Russia, which was the runner-up at the 1998 World Championships, jumped out to a 54-35 lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. Behind Peco Cameron, Kirk Penney and Sean Marks, New Zealand slowly chipped away at the deficit. New Zealand, which hit 8-of-13 three-pointers in the second half, took its first lead since early in the first quarter on a Cameron three-pointer with 3:24 remaining.
After Russia tied the game at 79-79 on two free throws by Serguei Tchikalkine with 1:25 remaining, New Zealand closed the game with an 11-2 run, winning its first game ever in World Basketball Championship competition.
"This win helps create some momentum for a great little country down in the South Pacific, but it's just a step," said New Zealand head coach Tab Baldwin. "This is a tournament, it's not the final."
Cameron (22), Marks (21) and Penney (19) combined to score 62 of New Zealand's points including 40 of the team's 55 second-half points.
This was Penney's second consecutive 19-point performance at Conseco Fieldhouse. The University of Wisconsin student paced his team with 19 points in a 54-52 loss in the Big Ten Tournament last spring.
Russia hit just 10-of-29 shots in the second half, while committing eight turnovers.
Russia used its speed and quickness to jump out to a 49-35 and appeared to be in control of the game at the half. New Zealand hurt themselves by committing 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes leading to 17 Russian points.
Russia was led by Rouslan Avleev with 18 points. Tchikalkine added 15, while Zakhar Pachoutine and Alexei Savrasenko were also in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.
New Zealand will look for its second win in World Basketball Championship history against Venezuela Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT at the RCA Dome.
"We're excited. We're thrilled," Baldwin said. "We're proud, but we're alive in this tournament and that's what really matters. If there is a must win, it's tomorrow night."
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