SUVA (FIBA Oceania U19 Qualification for Women/FIBA U19 World Championship) - Australia booked the final spot in the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women by knocking off New Zealand, 98-65, in the Final of the FIBA Oceania U19 Qualification for Women.

Alanna Smith paced five players in double figures with 21 points as the Australians pulled away from New Zealand in the second quarter and then never let the Junior Tall Ferns back into the game in the fourth quarter.

Tahila Tupaea added 18 points with four three-pointers as well as five rebounds and four steals while Anneli Maley collected 12 points and 17 rebounds. Tupaea and Maley were both part of Australia's team that came in fiftih at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship in the Czech Republic.

Against New Zealand, Kristy Wallace added 12 points and Montana Farrah-Seaton scored 10 points for coach Paul Goriss's Gems.

Australia built a 10-point lead in the first quarter and led 23-17 after 10 minutes. The margin increased to 21 points after a 17-2 run to make it 42-21 and the cushion was 46-35 at intermission.

Goriss's team pushed the advantage to 22 points before New Zealand got it down to 13, 55-42, midway through the third quarter. But Australia led 66-46 after 30 minutes and New Zealand didn't get any closer than 18 points the rest of the way.

New Zealand, who were paced by Krystal Leger-Walker with 15 points, have never played at the FIBA U19 World Championship for Women as Australia have now qualified for all 11 tournaments as FIBA Oceania's representative dating back to 1985.

Australia came in third in 2013. They won the title in 1993, finished second in 1997 and were third in 1989.

The Gems' winning the Oceania tournament fills the 16-nation field for the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women, which will take place in Russia from 18-26 July. 

The favorites once again will likely be the USA, winners of the last five U19 Worlds for Women and six of the last seven crowns. 

Also qualifying with them from FIBA Americas are 2009 third-place finishers Argentina as well as Brazil and Canada. 

Besides Russia, the other teams from Europe will be debutants Belgium, 2013 runners-up France, Netherlands, 2007 third-place finishers Serbia and Spain, who claimed second place in 2009 and 2011. 

FIBA Asia's three nations are China, Japan and Korea while Mali and Egypt are representing FIBA Africa.

FIBA