Team profile: Familiar surroundings for the high scoring New Zealand Tall Blacks

MANILA (Philippines) - The New Zealand Tall Blacks, who put the family into the familiar feeling in their training camp, are ready to score 100+ every day to lead the tournament in points scored as they did in 2019.

The Roster

The core is there. A number of these players have been together for a long time, whether for the run in 2019 or their podium place finish at the FIBA Asia Cup in 2022. The identity under coach Pero Cameron has remained the same. New Zealand want to keep on running and keep on scoring. They averaged 99.4 points per game in China in 2019, and 86.9 points per game in 2022. The Kiwis have enjoyed the high-paced rhythm.

Flynn Cameron

The metronome in the back beat would be point guard Flynn Cameron, Pero's son, with the Fotu brothers, Isaac and Dan, joining forces in the training camp, too. They aren't brothers, but Yanni Wetzell and Finn Delany have a similar story, of playing front-court basketball in Germany last season, Wetzell with Alba Berlin, Delany with Basketball Champions League winners Telekom Baskets Bonn. Both are ideal team players, Yanni as a "five," Finn as a "four."

The Question

Can they make it out of the group? That' the obvious question.

Let's be more specific. While scoring is their strength, can they provide elite defense to stop the USA, Greece and Jordan just to have a chance of sneaking into the top two to advance to the Second Round?

 

On the one hand, the draw wasn't their ally, but on the other, if they manage to advance from this group, the Second Round could actually turn out to be easier for them.

New Zealand's group crosses with Group D, which has Lithuania, Egypt, Mexico and Montenegro.

The Hope

The underdog status. They love it, even though they shouldn't be considered underdogs at all, having played in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2002, when Pero Cameron had his FIBA Hall of Fame tournament and earned a spot on the All-Star Five. Since entering the FIBA Asia Cup umbrella, they've gathered back-to-back Semi-Finals over there, too, winning the bronze medal in 2022.

But somehow, their continuous presence in the knockout stages of major events flies under the radar. They don't mind. Upsetting the odds is what they enjoy the most.

The Fear

New Zealand's high pace could be their advantage, but in playing against the USA, it could also be their downfall. Just check the game they played the other day against Canada. The Tall Blacks were more like the Stall Blacks. They went ice cold in the second quarter, and lost it by a staggering score of 39-14, eventually allowing Canada 107 points in 40 minutes of work.

A quarter or two like that and New Zealand could be heading to the Classification Games 17-32 instead of the Sweet 16.

 IN THE LAST 10 FIBA EVENTS

YEAR	EVENT	LOCATION	ACHIEVEMENT
2022	FIBA Asia Cup	Jakarta (INA)	3rd
2021	Olympics	Tokyo (JPN)	Did not qualify
2019	FIBA Basketball World Cup	Beijing (CHN)	19th
2017	FIBA Asia Cup	Zouk Mikael (LBN)	4th
2016	Olympics	Rio de Janeiro (BRA)	Did not qualify
2015	FIBA Oceania Championship	AUS - NZL	2nd
2014	FIBA Basketball World Cup	Madrid (ESP)	15th
2013	FIBA Oceania Championship	AUS - NZL	2nd
2012	Olympics	London (GBR)	Did not qualify
2011	FIBA Oceania Championship	AUS - NZL	2nd

The Poll

More?

For a deeper look on New Zealand's journey to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, click here.

FIBA