NONTHABURI (FIBA U18 Asian Championship)  - New Zealand rides the wave of a breakout performance by star Guard Flynn Cameron to withstand China, 87-82. The team now heads to the Finals of the FIBA U18 Asian Championship as newcomers to the tournament. 

Cameron is starting a legacy of his own, logging the first triple-double of this year’s tournament with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.

The two teams went back and forth for most of the final interval before a three-pointer by Kruz Perrott-Hunt which was assisted by Cameron, gave New Zealand a 78-73 cushion with 4 minutes left. Perrott-Hunt added more salt to the wound with a fastbreak layup to give New Zealand a 7-point lead. 

New Zealand started the game with efficient offense, shooting nearly 60% from the field in the first half but China’s offensive rebounding and second-chance conversions kept them toe-to-toe. The first quarter ended in a 21-21 deadlock with Guo Haowen’s 10 points leading for China. 

Wang Quanze had a quiet first half with only 7 points, but started picking up steam as the game’s action got more intense. Quanze finished the game with 22 points and was one of the main driving forces that kept China in the game.

When the game tightened up, New Zealand’s Maxwell Darling started to shine by using his strong frame and athleticism to finish high above the rim. Darling finished the game with 24 points including a clinching dunk that made the score 86-82 with 10 seconds left in the game.

New Zealand advances to the Finals of the FIBA U18 Asian Championship, awaiting the winner of the game between the Philippines and Australia.

FIBA