NEW Zealand completed the Final Four of the 2022 Fiba Asia Cup after staving off a gritty Korea crew, 88-78, on Thursday at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta.
Flynn Cameron fired 22 points on 4-of-10 clip from deep to highlight a near-triple-double performance that enabled the Tall Blacks to hold off Korea and arrange a semifinal match against defending champion Australia.
Dagger trey
Cameron also had nine rebounds and eight assists, capping his night with the dagger trey with 19.7 seconds left.
Taki Fahrensohn unfurled 16 points and five boar ds, as veteran Tohi Smith-Milner dropped 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists to help New Zealand reach the semifinals anew.
This will be a rematch of the semis between the Oceania teams five years ago in Zouk Mikael where the Boomers got the better of the Tall Blacks, 106-79.
New Zealand was pushed to the limit by Korea and didn't put it away until Cameron ignited a pivotal 6-0 spurt that turned a close 76-74 affair into an 82-74 lead heading into the final 1:36.
Ra Gun-A captained Korea in the quarters exit with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks in the absence of brothers Heo Hoon and Heo Ung, who were both placed under health and safety protocols.
Kim Jong Kyu stepped up with 13 points and three boards, as Choi Jun Yong and Lee Dae Sung had 11 each in the loss.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
