Tall Blacks beat Iraq to open FIBA Asia Cup
- Dave Worsley
- Aug 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 7
A big fourth quarter effort has taken the Tall Blacks to a 100-78 win over Iraq in their FIBA Asia Cup 2025 opener in Saudi Arabia.
Playing in 39 degree heat in Jeddah, the Tall Blacks guards found their range early, with Mojave King, Taylor Britt and Flynn Cameron combining for the team's first 11 points.
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The Tall Blacks managed to keep Iraq scoreless for a four-minute period to open up a 24-16 first quarter score.
Britt knocked down a pair of free throws within 10 seconds of the second quarter starting but Iraq clawed themselves back into the game thanks to Iraqi sharpshooter Ahmed Abdul scorin five straight and Iraq nudged into the lead 43-42 at halftime.
New Zealand fought hard in the third quarter before seven straight from point guard Britt saw the Tall Blacks take a two-point lead heading into the last period.
Turnovers began to mount for Iraq and the Tall Blacks oulled away to outscore Iraq 37-17.with Britt continuing his scoring along with a raft of other players including Carlin Davison chipping in as well.
Coach Judd Flavell was pleased with the Tall Blacks much improved second half.
"I first wanted to acknowledge Iraq and the way that they came out and played. We were half a step late, our defence wasn't good enough. That gave them some good looks from the outside," said Flavell.
"For our group in the second half, we were in a grind. We wanted to keep the pace high, so I feel like that sort-out rewarded us down the stretch there in the fourth quarter where we managed to get on top and obviously the scoreboard was in our favour from then on."
Four New Zealand players reached double figures and every playe got time on the court with all bar one scoring points.
New Zealand meet the Philippines in the early hours of Friday morning.
Tall Blacks 100 (Britt 19p, 7r, 4a, King 18p, Smith-Milner 13, Davison 14p, 7r) Iraq 78 (Ahmed Abdul 19p, Hammoodi 15p)
Q1: 24-16, HT: 42-43, Q3: 63-61, FT: 100-78
