IZMIR (FIBA World Championship) – The New Zealand Tall Blacks have recorded their second straight victory, 71-61 over Canada to move into the second round for the third successive FIBA World Championship.
 
For New Zealand, Kirk Penney (18 points), Casey Frank (14 points) and Phill Jones (11 points) all reached double figures in a dour affair. Joel Anthony made the most of New Zealand’s lack of interior size, racking up 13 points and 6 rebounds, while Jevohn Shepherd had his best game of the tournament with 15 points.|

After the big win Jones took the time to visit with FIBATV.Com.
 
Both teams looked fatigued early in the game, and after two quick baskets each the score sat at 4-4 until four minutes to play. The quarter time score was just 11-8 to New Zealand at quarter time, Abercrombie dominating the boards to give Canada no second chances, while the Road Warriors zone took New Zealand’s high scoring offence out of its rhythm.
 
Canada kept superstar Penney scoreless in the first term, but in the second a former superstar in Jones stepped up for the Tall Blacks, hitting six quick points off the bench to establish a break. When Penney finally found his range – seven points for the quarter - the half time score was 35-28.
 
New Zealand started the second half on a Lindsay Tait fast break and then went on a 7-1 tear, establishing a double figure lead. But as foul trouble built on Penney, Abercrombie, Pero Cameron and Craig Bradshaw, Canada were able to eek their way back from the foul line and trailed 47-41 at three quarter time.
 
The fourth quarter was another tight affair, with both teams’ defence well prepared for their opponents. New Zealand played it cool though, using the clock and late triples from Abercrombie and Penney to secure a hard fought victory. 

Quotes:

Jevohn Shepperd (player, Canada): It was really hard game. They improved their defence today and that was probably why we lost. We struggled the whole game, we never gave up but we couldn’t get the result. We have improved and this will help us in future tournaments.

Leo Rautins (coach, Canada): New Zealand did a good job, and I think they were more prepared to play than us. We are talking about World Championship. If you come here without your best players and got a team mostly young players, something like our results can be happen. We are a young team and still we have to improve ourselves. But I am happy that we have made some progress even without the results.

Nenad Vucinic (coach, New Zealand): We found it difficult to get open shots from outside. Both teams applied pressure, but Canada were better on the rebounds than us. Pero Cameron did not play a (club) season because of his injury, which is a tough situation. But still he is very important for us both physically and mentally. Finally, we improved our defence today and I am happy about this.

Frank Casey: I think we played very well on defence today. It was important to win this game for us. We struggled hard as a team. We are really happy to win.

FIBA

Paulo Kennedy

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Tactics and team spirit yet again key for modest Canadians

Teams in Canada’s group may not be trembling with fear at the thought of facing the Canadians, but nor should they take them lightly. Chemistry, tactical intelligence and a massive dose of their famous team spirit are what they will rely on in Turkey.

Canada continue to be a team in transition and one that sticks to their principles. They are pretty much forced to consider that one of the biggest legends in world basketball no longer plays. Just don’t expect this hungry young team to feel sorry for themselves now that veteran Steve Nash has given up on wearing the Maple leaf on his chest.

Under the leadership of Leo Rautins, Canada are beginning to slowly but surely punch above their weight as the head coach continues to oversee a programme of bringing in fresh-faced players and moulding a hard-nosed team with a workmanlike and defensive ethic.

This has served them well in the last couple of years and anyone who doesn’t subscribe to the mantra of Rautins can consider themselves no longer part of the team – no matter who they are or how big their reputation. Just ask Sacramento Kings center Samuel Dalembert. He was thrown out of the National Team programme in 2008 by Rautins after his attitude failed to match the standards laid down by the coach. It pretty much cost them their place at the 2008 Olympics but unity, chemistry and a common goal rule the roost in the Canadian locker room.

Canada can only get wins one way and that is no longer through a marquee and highly-talented individual like Nash. Instead, Rautins has got this team really playing for each other and this is a group that continues to evolve – even being in Turkey for this Championship is a clear indication of their progression.

In fact, while Canada will enter as something of underdogs compared to a lot of other nations in the tournament, there is a quiet confidence about the team and that would have been increased further had Rautins been successful in getting NBA duo Matt Bonner and Jamaal Magloire to Turkey.

Even though both options ended up being exhausted and unsuccessful, Canada are a gutsy team that continues to throw young players into the fray and sticks to its guns when it comes to a basketball programme that has demanded patience and belief. To achieve their vision, Rautins has utilised class acts and experienced players like Jermaine Anderson and more recently defensive kingpin Joel Anthony of the Miami Heat.

Most pleasing of all, the younger players – and not least the coach’s own son and new New York Knicks player Andy Rautins – are getting better and better. With each tournament, their influence is definitely increasing. The biggest blow for Rautins comes via the absence of star man Carl English - a genuine contender for MVP status in any game, who will now sit out the tournament due to an injury as is also the case with forward Jesse Young.

The Turkish experience is simply the latest chapter in what is proving to be a long, but hopefully fruitful journey for Canadian Men’s basketball. After all, it’s a decade since the team hit the ‘heights’ with seventh spot at the 2000 Olympics and progression to the latter stages would be a genuine shock.

But be warned. Canada are not beyond creating shocks. This is evidenced by the fact they surprised an NBA laden Domincan Republic team in the FIBA Americas Championship last year to punch their ticket and reach the World Championships for the first time since 2002. It has went some way to burying the hurt of missing out last time when they failed to qualify in 2006 – for the first time since the 1960’s.

With a superb team chemistry, system that suits their players and a collective spirit that will probably not be bettered anywhere else in the tournament, a lack of depth in terms of quality and talent might not be as much of a hurdle as you might expect .