Best scores 20 in Canada’s walloping of New Zealand
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — Aaron Best scored 20 points while Andrew Nembhard added 17 as Canada’s men’s basketball team trounced the New Zealand Tall Blacks, 122-88, in a pre-FIBA World Cup exhibition game Tuesday.
Six Canadians scored in double figures in the first game of a back-to-back set against New Zealand. Oshae Brissett had 16 points and seven rebounds, Owen Klassen chipped in 12 points, Kevin Pangos had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Duane Notice finished with 10 points.
Canada, coached by Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, is now 3-2 in exhibition play.
“It was a great team effort,” said Best, a Scarborough native and a product of Ryerson University. “Guys were sharing the ball, we were getting up and down and getting after it on defence. We stuck to the game plan and we were able to come up with a win.”
Canada split a pair of friendlies last week with Australia, a team they’ll face in the opening round of the World Cup on Sept. 1.
Canada set a blistering pace, opening with a 10-0 run and scoring seven three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 35-17 lead into the second. They had a 20-0 first-half run, and led 61-37 at halftime. Canada took a 92-63 lead into the fourth quarter.
Kaza Kajami-Keane had eight points before leaving the game with an apparent ankle injury in the second quarter.
“I think the team has been meshing really well the last couple of weeks,” Nembhard said.
“I think we’re just bringing it all together,” the 17-point scorer added.
After Wednesday’s game against New Zealand, the Canadians wrap up their pre-tournament schedule against the United States on Aug. 26.