Tall Blacks aim to end World Cup qualifiers on top

Tohi Smith-Milner could get additional minutes in the Tall Blacks last world cup qualifying game.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Tall Blacks plan to finish the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers by making a statement against rivals Lebanon on Monday night.

Playing for the first time in Wellington since 2018, the Tall Blacks will be buoyed by Friday’s 110-63 victory against Saudi Arabia in Christchurch during which they scored their most points in a game since 2020.

New Zealand will need to replicate that efficient shooting and tight defence against Lebanon.

The Tall Blacks and Cedars are both sitting at the top the World Cup Qualifying Group E division with identical 7-2 records. Although both countries are assured of a place in the World Cup in August, a win on Monday decides who will sit in first place in this six-team Group E division; a valuable position to be in ahead of the World Cup seeding draw at the end of April.

The Tall Blacks will be wary of Lebanon after the Cedars handed them their first loss in world cup qualifier play back in November; Lebanon winning 77-65 in front of a Beirut home crowd.

That shock loss saw a young Tall Blacks side register their lowest scoring output in eight world cup qualifier games.

A change to the Tall Blacks line-up means that one of its top performers from Friday – who also played in his maiden Tall Blacks game – won’t be suiting up against Lebanon.

Sam Waardenburg, who impressed with his 17 points and 8 rebounds against Saudi Arabia, has returned to Cairns with Jordan Hunt taking his place in the squad.

The Tall Blacks have plenty of other firepower to cover for Waardenburg’s absence, with forwards Isaac Fotu and Tohi Smith-Milner likely to shoulder any additional minutes and scoring load.

Although Lebanon is missing some of their star power with Wael Arakji not in this squad, they still bring plenty of weapons into the Wellington game including guard Sergio El Darwich, Amir Saoud and Hayk Gyokchyan.

Playing against the Philippines on Friday, the Cedars suffered a 96-107 defeat – only their second world cup qualifying loss – with both teams shooting over 50 percent but Lebanon guilty of 15 turnovers, which the Philippines turned into 29 points.