ISTANBUL (Türkiye) - USA remain perfect in the history of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup and the six-time champions face a massive underdog in the Semi-Finals in New Zealand looking to continue their fairytale.
The young Tall Blacks are already playing with house money as they have equalled the greatest achievement in their hoops history - and now dream of what could be considered the biggest upset in FIBA history. But it's just one game.
Key Matchup
Hayden Jones and the rest of New Zealand's ball-handlers will somehow have to overcome the suffocating USA defense, which is forcing 32.8 turnovers per game. And it will be a constant wave of long, athletic defenders attacking the New Zealand offense as USA Head Coach Sharman White goes 12 players deep - with every player playing at least 10 minutes and no one more than 20 minutes. So Jones and co. must be prepared for 40 minutes of pressure they have never seen before.
New Zealand do have a pretty good sized team that might not be overwhelmed with the Americans' strength as they have six players who are 1.97M (6'6") or taller, and players who have solid frames too.
X-Factor
Dare we say that this New Zealand team seems to have a bit of destiny. By reaching the Semi-Finals they have already matched the country's biggest basketball success - when the Tall Blacks made the Semi-Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2002. One of the leaders of that team was Phill Jones, who is the father of the aforementioned Hayden Jones. The 2002 Tall Blacks went home empty-handed in fourth place. Can Hayden and his team etch their names in the annuls of basketball upset history?
Stats Don't Lie
New Zealand have committed 19.0 turnovers per game, but once they get a shot, they are pretty solid, especially inside the three-point line. New Zealand are shooting 56.1 percent on two-pointers - topped only by USA's 64.5 percent. They've hit 30.6 percent from long range, which is ranked tied for fourth. Then again, USA lead the competition in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals and are second in blocks.
Past matchups
This will be the first matchup between these teams at the U17 World Cup level. New Zealand did play USA at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019 group stage (a 111-71 USA win) and the 1997 World Championship for Men '22 and Under' (an 85-43 USA victory).
They Said
"I think we can challenge the USA, and this is why you come to the World Cup." - New Zealand head coach Leyton Harrelton
"I think they are very good. We watched them today (after the Quarter-Finals) and some film on them. They have great size and good versatility and they do some things really well. I think it will be a good game and a good opportunity to match up with someone who has like size as us and we will see what happens." - USA head coach Sharman White
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