Basketball: Tall Blacks comfortable winners over Lithuania

New Zealand wrapped up their match preparation for this week's Oceania series with an 86-77 win over Lithuania in the Four Nations tournament yesterday.

The win at the Sydney Entertainment Centre gave them second place behind Australia in the tournament, with their Friday night 74-84 loss to the Boomers determining the winner of the inaugural Gaze Cup.

Both teams had earlier in the week beaten China and Lithuania in Perth.

The Tall Blacks recovered from a slow start to lead 22-21 at the end of the first quarter and began to assert their superiority in the second. Pero Cameron landed two spectacular three-pointers and Phill Jones and Aaron Olson were also successful from long range.

They went into the third quarter 46-37 ahead and maintained their advantage with a 67-59 lead at three-quarter time.

The Tall Blacks' defence frustrated the Lithuanians with numerous steals early in the final quarter and they were comfortable winners.

Coach Tab Baldwin tested several combinations throughout the match ahead of the three-match Oceania series against Australia, which begins in Auckland on Wednesday.

The series will decide the region's seedings for the world championships in Japan next year.

- NZPA