Tall Blacks look ahead to semi-finals

NEW Zealand trumped Canada to guarantee a Commonwealth Games semi-final basketball berth on Monday, but still feel there’s more to give.

The Tall Blacks downed a depleted Canadian outfit 82-60 in Cairns to finish up second in their pool behind hosts Australia.

Breakers’ Thomas AberThey crombie (17 points), Finn Delany (15) and Robert Loe (13) led the Tall Blacks on the scoreboard, proving lethal.

helped their side win every quarter of the match.

The trio’s NBL teammate, big centre Alex Pledger, told reporters his troops could still improve ahead of their semifinal meet-up, against one of Canada, Nigeria, England or Scotland.

“This is a team (Canada) that we are potentially going to play in the next round — we kind of wanted to get up from the Australia vs. New Zealand game (which Australia won 79-73),” Pledger said.

“We were flat at times and they are a young and inexperienced team but they fought. It was a great battle and we have to be better.”

With pool play done, it appears only Australia and New Zealand are capable of standing at the top of the Games podium on April 15.

Pledger expected his side to lift, should they face the Boomers again.

“We still have a lot of improvements to make and we’ve got to concentrate on those, and getting into the semi-finals.”

IT WAS A GREAT BATTLE AND WE HAVE TO BE BETTER