Basketball: Boomers take out thriller in overtime

Kirk Penney training with the Tall Blacks. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Australia drew first blood in the opening international of the four-match transtasman series, edging New Zealand in an extra-time thriller in Napier last night.

With Australia ready to take the spoils at 67-64, Tall Blacks guard Mark Dickel drained a long-range three-pointer on the buzzer to send the match into overtime.

Over the following extra five minutes, the match followed the previous 40 minutes in which neither side dominated but with former NBA player Chris Anstey leading the scoring charge, the visitors prevailed.

Australia, ranked ninth in the world, have won the last nine out of 10 matches between the teams since 2004, but New Zealand ran the Boomers close, leading after the first quarter 16-12 and 34-31 at halftime last night.

New Zealand largely nullified the threat of NBA Milwaukee Bucks Andrew Bogut as they frequently double-teamed the 2.1m forward which typified the Tall Blacks well organised defence.

After finding their targets in the opening stages, the Tall Blacks' shooting was wayward in the crucial fourth quarter as Australia edged ahead.

With their superior height, the Boomers forced New Zealand to the perimeter.

They failed to penetrate the defence under the hoop while they rushed their shotmaking.

The roles were steadily reversed as the match progressed after Australia's marksmen struggled to sink their shots in the first half.

With New Zealand's tallest player Tony Rampton finding himself in early foul trouble, the Boomers were able to slot some close-range points.

Anstey provided a vital scoring edge as the towering centre produced a 10-point burst in the third quarter and the Boomers maintained their slim lead.

Tall Blacks coach Tab Baldwin started with predictably his most experienced line-up of skipper Pero Cameron, Kirk Penney, Phill Jones, Dickel and Rampton and they responded by starting the first quarter firing, while Australia's shooting was exceptionally cold.

New Zealand broke to 7-0 when Kirk Penney found his range early, whereas Bogut missed with his opening two free throws.

New Zealand's staunch defence can take credit for upsetting Australia.

They committed bodies under the hoop preventing a flow of rebounds while they profited from the Boomers' turnovers, scoring eight points.

Bogut got the yellow machine rolling with two slamming lay-ups, but with New Zealand scoring well from outside the arc and the Boomers struggling at the free-throw line, the hosts led the first quarter 16-12.

The pattern continued early after the break as the Tall Blacks maintained a seven-point buffer.

Smith sank two three-pointers and the lead eventually swapped, but the Tall Blacks drew some late fouls to lead 34-31 at halftime.

After trading blows in a frantic third quarter, Australia held a 51-49 advantage heading into the final quarter.

- NZPA