South Korea Tall Ferns

A second quarter slump has seen the Tall Ferns miss out on a trip to the 2018 Women’s Basketball World Cup.

A 23-0 run to end the first half proved the difference as South Korea defeated the Tall Ferns 64-49 in the Asia Cup quarter-finals in Beirut, denying the Ferns the chance to participate at their first World Cup since 1994.

The Tall Ferns had a chance to cash in on their move to Asia, which provides four World Cup qualification spots, instead of their usual hopeless task of taking on Australia in Oceania.

Although Australia, Japan and China are a class above, the Tall Ferns had an outside chance to snag the fourth spot against South Korea, but will be left ruing two sloppy spells.

The first spell, when they led 20-11, consigned them to a 34-20 halftime deficit, as South Korea corrected a sloppy early period by starting to hit their shots.

Although the Tall Ferns battled their way back into the contest, they didn’t get enough production from their key players. Jillian Harmon (5/17 shooting), Micaela Cocks (4/15), Antonia Edmondson (4/13) and Kalani Purcell (2/10) all struggled to find good looks as the Tall Ferns shot at 28.8 per cent from the field and 19 per cent from deep.

Despite their offensive woes, the Tall Ferns’ core seven-woman rotation managed to reel in South Korea’s lead with some solid defence, pegging them back to 47-45 with 6.44 remaining in the final quarter.

However, that was as close as they would come, with South Korea cashing in on open looks they were previously missing.

The Tall Ferns will now take on North Korea, who they defeated earlier this tournament, in the consolation bracket. — Niall Anderson