Dent delivers U16 Oceania title for Australia

WELLINGTON (FIBA U16 Oceania Championship) - Australia have claimed the FIBA U16 Oceania Championship title with a pulsating 91-86 win over New Zealand on Tuesday to book their place at the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship in Spain.

In a game highlighted by one tough shot after another, the Australians withstood a ferocious fourth-quarter charge from Kiwi sharpshooter Quinn Clinton to silence the boisterous Wellington crowd.

Clinton finished with 28 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in a riveting battle with Aussie counterpart Lachlan Dent (14 points, 5 assists, 5 steals), whose relentless defense was a disruptive thorn in New Zealand's side all night.

"That's why I picked him in the team," Australian coach Mark Watkins said of Dent.

"Him and [Kyle] Zunic are tough as nails, they're warriors and you want those guys on your team."

The Australian pair of Dragan Elkaz (20 points, 4/7 three-pointers) and Tom Fullarton (17 points, 3/5 three-pointers) were also stars of the show, while mobile big man Sam Waardenburg impressed for the Kiwis with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

New Zealand started aggressively at the defensive end, Dan Fotu leading the way as they forced seven first-quarter turnovers.

But as the quarter wore on, the Kiwis' flow into offence dried up and Australia were able to pinch a 20-18 edge at the first break.

The visitors then unleashed a pivotal run to open the second, Fullarton and Elkaz combining for seven points as the margin stretched to 11.

New Zealand stemmed the tide with a Waardenburg trifecta, but a Kyle Zunic buzzer-beater gave the Aussies a 42-32 half-time lead.

Australia launched another assault after the break, Dent the catalyst with two steals, an assist and two points in 15 seconds, and when the livewire point guard nailed a triple soon after the lead was 15.

Once again the Kiwis refused to lie down though, Clinton with a three-pointer and assist on successive plays to swing the momentum and drag his team within eight after 30 minutes.

Clinton connected again from the perimeter to open the final term and two Waardenburg free throws had the score at 64-61.

But just when the hosts looked like reclaiming the lead Dent stood tall once more with two free throws, a steal and a feed to Elkaz for a dagger triple and a 10-point Aussie lead.

Clinton and Waardenburg continued to make tough plays, but Fullarton provided the answers and the Australians hung tough from the charity stripe to record a memorable victory.

The result turned around New Zealand's 19-point win in the pool rounds, and Watkins lauded his team’s mental toughness.

"We talked about that the last two days, what it means to play for Australia, how the kangaroo and emu don't take a backward step," he said.

"The boys bought into not being afraid to take the challenge on, we preached confidence even though we got smacked in the first game."

FIBA