Tom Abercrombie and Jordan Ngatai shine as Tall Black dominates Jordan in Christchurch

Jordan received bad news ahead of the first leg and that did not improve as the Tall Blacks almost guaranteed their place at the Fiba World Cup next year.

Playing for their first international men's basketball game in Christchurch in 14 years, New Zealand beat the Jordan 95-69 Arab nation at Horncastle Arena on Thursday night to move to a win near the booking of their ticket to the World Cup. world.

The Tall Blacks can clinch their place with a win over Syria in their upcoming Asian Zone qualifier in Wellington on Sunday. They still have two qualifying matches after their departure, in Lebanon and Jordan, in February, but would go to the Middle East knowing that their qualification for the World Cup is assured.

American leader Justin Dentmon, who was ready to make his debut for Jordan, was eliminated before the match after being deemed ineligible. Losing Dentmon, who was sitting in town suit, was a blow to the Jordanians, who were following 51-30 at half-time and were trying to catch up after falling early early.

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Dentmon, who has traveled extensively and played eight games in the NBA between 2011 and 13, as well as in the EuroLeague, was expected to offer increased firepower and a veteran experience in the backyard of the Jordan.

Jordan is believed to be working hard behind the scenes to ensure he meets Fiba's criteria for his future relationships.

Despite the lack of star power of the Webster, Corey and Tai brothers, Isaac Fotu and Finn Delany, among others, we were still expecting the Tall Blacks to be far too strong for Jordan at home.

New Zealand easily beat 98-70 winners with a weakened team in the last meeting between the two teams at the Fiba Asian Cup in Lebanon last year and was again in full possession of its means.

More happy for Tall Blacks coach Paul Henare is their eighth consecutive victory in the Asian Zone World Cup qualifiers after starting with a hiccup against South Korea in their first match in Wellington November.

Even more difficult events await the World Cup in China in August-September, but the Tall Blacks deepen, win games and expose young talents to the international scene.

New Zealand was slow to start the game, missing four of their first five attempts, but it was not long before going into gear.

Tom Abercrombie was very lively early, finishing a well clocked pass from Reuben Te Rangi to score at the rim. He then showed a lot of movement on the other end of the field, chasing Zaid Abbas, the big Jordanian, and blocking his dunk attempt.

Abercrombie then drilled a 3 to give the Tall Blacks a clear lead of 17-3.

Ethan Rusbatch, of Canterbury, received one of the loudest applause of the evening when he played the game in front of his audience, with three minutes to go in the first term.

At the end of the first quarter, the Tall Blacks had 29.17 points ahead of 71 percent (12/17), while limiting Jordan to 6/14 (42 percent). ).

Henare was able to summon Kruz Perrott-Hunt and Auckland schoolboy Tom Vodanovich on the pitch for their Tall Black debut in the second quarter, but Jordan battled valiantly and refused to give up easy buckets inside.

Southland Shark Vodanovich had an immediate impact in helping five quick points and seemed more than comfortable in his debut in international basketball. Vodanovich finished with 16 points in his 16 minutes of encouraging first-half play in the black jersey.

Abercrombie took over in the third quarter, scoring 13 points while the Tall Blacks' lead was reduced to 73-46 in order to close the term.

From an eye catch

Great blacks 95 (Tom Abercrombie 18, Jordan Ngatai 17, Reuben Te Rangi 11, Tom Vodanovich 11, Shea Ili 8) Jordan 69 (Yousef Abu Wazaneh 13, Ahmad Al-Hamarsheh 12, Mousa Alawadi 9) Quarterly scores: 1Q: 29-13, HT: 51-30, 3Q: 73-46.