Basketball: Tall Blacks secure win in final hit-out

7.20am

LONDON - The New Zealand men's basketball team secured a win in their final pre-Olympic tour match downing Bulgaria 93-90 in Yambol, Bulgaria today.

After a disappointing first game which they lost 74-77, the Tall Blacks came out firing in the return match to lead 22-14 after the first quarter.

Bulgaria fought back and claimed the second spell 29-26 but the New Zealanders held on for a 48-43 advantage at halftime.

The Eastern Europeans continued to dominate and went on a 25-3 run in the third spell to overturn New Zealand's lead by seven points at the end of the quarter.

New Zealand tied the game with a minute left on the clock and Phill Jones's jump shot with 22 seconds regained the lead for the Tall Blacks.

Mark Dickel ensured New Zealand had the final say slotting one of his two fouls shots four seconds from fulltime.

The Tall Blacks convincingly won the final quarter 23-13.

For the first time since leaving New Zealand, the Tall Blacks fielded a full strength team with shooting guard Kirk Penney returning to the court after spraining his ankle in the opening minute of the first game with Bulgaria and Ed Book also was available.

He was New Zealand's top scorer with 23 points, while Jones made 21 and power forward Sean Marks landed 19 points and 15 rebounds.

New Zealand: 93 (K Penney 23, P Jones 21, S Marks 19, M Dickel 11)

Bulgaria: 90 (T Stoykov 25, D Angelov 16)

Halftime: 48-43

- NZPA