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15 - 18
August 2015
Rob Loe (NZL)
03/08/2015
News
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Tall Blacks overcome Vasquez-less Venezuela in Stankovic Cup opener

QINGYUAN (2015 FIBA Oceania Championship) - New Zealand's Tall Blacks ground out 72-65 triumph over Venezuela on Monday in the teams' Stankovic Cup opener in China.

Following their journey to the Far East after narrow defeats to both Croatia and Slovenia in Europe, Paul Henare's side started fast and then struggled against the South Americans, who battled back from a double-digit deficit to lead at half-time.

The Kiwis eventually got control of the contest in the fourth quarter with their tenacity on the boards helping them get over the finish line ahead of a Venezuelan team that is warming up for the FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City.

New Zealand will play the first game of the FIBA Oceania Championship against Australia in Melbourne on 15 August and then host the second encounter three days later in Wellington, with the winner of the series clinching a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games and the loser going into the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

"We got the job done and any win should be enjoyed," said Henare, who is now 2-2 as the head coach.

New Zealand won the first game of their tour, against Great Britain.

We have worked hard on this tour and deserved to be on the right side of the result tonight. - Henare

"However, we were guilty of underestimating the opposition and allowed them to get their confidence up and stay in the game for longer than perhaps they should have," Henare said.

Corey Webster continues to give the Tall Blacks a good supply of points.

The guard finished with a game-high 22 against Venezuela.

Isaac Fotu was just 3 of 11 from the field but did grab 14 boards.

Henare was happy with the contributions of some of his inexperienced players, especially in the second half.

He chose to give veterans Thomas Abercrombie and Mika Vukona the night off.

The two players are normally in the starting lineup.

"I was pleased with the reaction of the guys, the way a younger group set things up in the final quarter for the more experienced group to finish it was encouraging," Henare said.

"We did sit two of our leaders tonight in Tom and Mika and at times that showed, not that this was a reflection on those on the floor, more it is about how important they are to our team.”

Venezuela, meanwhile, have had a tough summer under coach Nestor 'Che' Garcia.

The team was competitive at the recent Pan American Games but finished seventh with their lone win coming against Mexico, another of the sides competing at the Stankovic Cup and warming up for the FIBA Americas Championship.

Greivis Vasquez of the Milwaukee Bucks has decided not to play this summer.

The guard, the team's only NBA player, is in the final year of his contract but he has also been vocal in his opposition to the leadership at the Venezuelan Basketball Federation.

The 28-year-old will miss the tournament for the second time in a row.

He was absent in 2013 when Venezuela hosted the tournament but did play last year when the country won the South American Championship for Men.

Power forward Luis Bethelmy has also been lost after undergoing surgery on his right ankle. 

They will participate in the FIBA Americas Championship from 31 August to 12 September in Mexico City, with the finalists advancing to the Rio de Janeiro Games and the teams that come in third, fourth and fifth playing in the OQT.

FIBA