JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – For New Zealand, it’s never just about how you start. It’s about how far you go.
The Tall Blacks began their FIBA Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a 100-78 win over Iraq, but what they really have their eyes on is something much bigger than a Day 1 victory.
"Our focus is to finish as high as we can on the podium," said head coach Judd Flavell. "It’s a tough tournament, and our pool is tough. If we’re going to be our best, these teams will expose areas for improvement."
And exposed they were against the spirited Iraqis—at least for a half.
Despite the comfortable final scoreline, New Zealand struggled to find their footing early. They surrendered the lead in the second quarter, allowed Iraq to dictate the pace and had to regroup at halftime. For a team aiming to raise their level in Asia, that first-half effort wasn’t going to cut it.
"We’re a bit disappointed with the way we started," Flavell admitted. "We were half a step late, and our defense wasn’t good enough."
It’s that self-awareness that could serve New Zealand well the deeper this tournament goes. The Tall Blacks know they can’t afford to be reactive. They want to set the tone, not chase it.
"We’ve got a lot of work to do," said captain Jordan Ngatai. "The boys set a pretty high standard from the last Asia Cup. Hopefully, we can do better than that."
Taylor Britt, who starred in the win and was part of the Tall Blacks that finished third-place in 2022, echoed the same sentiment.
"We’re trying to get to a place where defense fuels everything," he said. "That second half was closer to what we want to be."
The road ahead isn’t getting any easier. With the Philippines next, followed by Chinese Taipei, New Zealand face a challenging group that could define their Asia Cup trajectory.
But if there's anything clear about this squad, it’s that their ambitions go far beyond the group phase.
FIBA