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Paul Henare could spend sleepless nights deliberating on his team of the Fiba Blacks World Cup.
New Zealand was on the verge of winning a spot at next year's world tournament in China in August-September after crushing the Jordan 95-69 Arab nation in Christchurch on Thursday night.
The Tall Blacks would secure their place with another qualifying win for the Asian zone against Syria in Wellington on Sunday, reserving their ticket for two more games played in the Middle East in February.
Despite the fact that they did not have several frontline stars for this qualifying window, including the Webster, Corey and Tai brothers, Isaac Fotu and Finn Delany, the Tall Blacks had far too much quality for Jordan , who was 51-30 at half-time and continued the game.
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ANTHONY AU-YEUNG / GETTY IMAGES
The big blacks Reuben Te Rangi (left), Tom Abercrombie and Tom Vodanovich laugh during their rout of Jordan in Christchurch.
While the majority of the Black Tall arrived in Christchurch on Monday afternoon after the NZ Breakers' long return trip from Perth, Henare made sure to play in the allotted time for the court without anyone playing more than 22 minutes.
The Jordan Ngatai breaker was among the best New Zealanders with 17 points, including 5 out of 6, while the novice duo, Tom Vodanovich and Kruz Perrott-Hunt, Auckland schoolboy, were trying their luck.
Vodanovich, who plays for the Southland Sharks in the National Basketball League, was impressed by 11 points in 16 minutes and looked more than comfortable in his first steps in international basketball.
JOHN DAVIDSON / PHOTOSPORT
Jordan Ngatai, one of the top Tall Blacks players against Jordan, gets tangled for a lost ball.
Henare was pleased with the growing pool of talent exposed to international basketball during the World Cup qualifiers. He was preparing for the prospect of tough selection decisions for the World Cup next year, if the Tall Blacks qualified as expected.
New Zealand has several university players based in the United States, including Jack Salt, of the University of Virginia, to return to the mix. The million dollar question of whether NBA Kiwi star Steven Adams is willing and able to partner with the Tall Blacks for the World Cup will also need to be resolved.
"Once we reach the stage where we will have to choose 12 players to represent New Zealand at the World Cup, the selection process will be very difficult," Henare said.
"Leading in each [World Cup qualifying] window, we must select a long list of 24 players and even choose it now, if everyone was available, it's a difficult choice. "
JOHN DAVIDSON / PHOTOSPORT
Auckland schoolboy, Kruz Perrott-Hunt, goes on the offensive during his debut with the Tall Blacks against Jordan.
Tall Black veteran Tom Abercrombie, who scored 18 points, the highest score of the game, while scoring four rebounds, said the team's qualifying performances reflected the new depth of basketball. Zealand.
He thought it was as strong as during his long involvement with the national team.
"The depth is definitely there at the moment, of course, with these qualifying windows and the different availability of different guys at different times, this depth is tested, but I certainly think we checked this box – we have guys ready to intervene as needed and do the work. "
JOHN DAVIDSON / PHOTOSPORT
Jordanian Mohammad Hussein (left) and Tall Blacks center Rob Loe are fighting to start the match.
New Zealand has won eight consecutive World Cup playoffs since it was overthrown by South Korea in Wellington last November in its first game.
The feeling within the Tall Blacks team was confident and positive and Henare was proud of what they created.
More difficult tests than Jordan are coming next year, but the Tall Blacks are going in the right direction.
"All of these guys have deployed so much physical, mental and emotional energy and effort to get us here, and the message to the group is that we are not there yet," he said. Henare.
"Let's continue to push and strive for excellence in the way we try to play."
They hope that global basketball will materialize next year.
Great blacks 95 (Tom Abercrombie 18, Jordan Ngatai 17, Reuben Te Rangi 11, Tom Vodanovich 11) Jordan 69 (Yousef Abu Wazaneh 13, Ahmad Al-Hamarsheh 12) 1Q: 29-13, HT: 51-30, 3Q: 73-46
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