FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament ... The Tradition Continues

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When all the heroes left town, the Junior Tall Blacks came up with a couple more to hold off Australia 104-94 in the men’s final of the FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament at Waitakere Trusts Stadium.

The Kiwis’ win secured their fourth title in the history of the event, but not without some anxious moments after building up a 14-point lead early in the second half. But in the great tradition of Tall Black v Boomer contests, their opponents fought back. Behind some sharp play from tiny point guard Jorden Page, Australia produced a 21-6 run over the latter stages of the third quarter and the start of the fourth to finally snatch an 81-79 lead.

Page seemed to wage a personal battle with New Zealand guard Corey Webster, but with three minutes still remaining and the hosts ahead just 94-88, both fouled out in the space of a few seconds.

Someone else would have to decide the outcome.

First Dion Prewster picked his opposite’s pocket midcourt and followed through for an emphatic dunk, then point guard Houston O’Riley nailed a three-pointer with 1m 48s remaining to seal the result.

Webster finished the game with 37 points (14/27 FG, 1/7 3pt, 8/9 FT) for New Zealand to reaffirm his scoring title, while Christian Salecich had 25 points (8/15 FG, 5/8 3pt, 4/6 FT) for the Aussies.

New Zealand started the better and quickly had their lead out to double figures (16-6). Early in the second quarter, Webster converted a three-point play to stretch it to 13 points, but the Aussies hung around, using their overall height to advantage around the basket.

On halftime, Josh O’Connell struck from well outside the arc to give the Kiwis a 56-44 buffer into the locker rooms and a basket straight after the restart provided their biggest lead of the game.

In the women’s final, forward Tess Madgen had 28 points as Australia withstood a big fourth quarter comeback to defeat the NZ Junior Tall Ferns 56-47.

The Aussies led by as many as 25 points early in the final quarter, but New Zealand produced an inspired 14-0 run that carried them back within eight points inside the final minute.

The Kiwis had been tenacious defensively all week, but somewhat challenged offensively. Their “D” kept them close through the first quarter of the title game and they actually tied the scores off a three-pointer from Rhandelle Sharrock midway through the second.

But New Zealand went scoreless for the rest of the period, allowing the Aussies 14 unanswered points run into halftime. Another nine-point burst in the third quarter effectively put the contest beyond the JTFs’ reach.

Meanwhile, New Caledonia emerged as the leading Pacific basketball nation, snatching both bronze medals in dramatic fashion.

After their plucky challenge to New Zealand in the previous night’s semifinal, the Fijian women might have fancied their chances of reversing an earlier pool defeat at the hands of the French-speakers. But they had absolutely no answer to forward Soana Lucet, who turned in the performance of the week – 41 points (15/31 FG, 11/16 FT), 18 rebounds, five blocks, four assists and four steals – scoring 17 points in the final quarter to seal victory.

Moments after their success, they joined their male counterparts in celebration after they edged Tahiti 70-67 in the men’s playoff. The Tahitians took a two-point advantage into the final period, but could not withstand their rivals’ passion.