New Zealand's 2002 basketball world championship heroics were left looking like a mirage as they crashed 95-73 to Angola in Japan yesterday.
The Tall Blacks suffered their third straight resounding defeat in Hiroshima and probably will need to win both their remaining pool games to advance to the knockout phase.
Both games are winnable, against Japan tomorrow and Panama on Thursday but beating them, let alone matching their semifinal run of four years ago, will be a struggle unless their execution and spirit soars.
As with the opening 86-70 loss to Spain and 80-56 defeat to Germany, the Tall Blacks shot poorly and were a yard behind their opponents on defence. Although the first two losses were to European heavyweights, Angola's world ranking of 17 is below New Zealand's 16. However, it was never a close game as the African champions went on a 12-point streak to open up a 15-4 lead inside six minutes.
They were too good in all facets but most disturbing for New Zealand coach Tab Baldwin was that his team were out-hustled.
Forward Eduardo Mingas made them pay, scoring 20 of his 27 points in the first half and also dragging down a game-high 12 rebounds.
Captain Pero Cameron was New Zealand's best, also topping his team's scoring with 17 points and rebounds, with eight. Kirk Penney scored 15 and Phill Jones 11 but the overall shooting was cold beyond the three-point line, where they landed just seven from 27, and the free-throw line, where they missed 13 of 31. The Tall Blacks were down 49-32 by halftime.
- NZPA
