The Tall Blacks have qualified for the 2019 World Cup in China after a convincing 97-74 victory over Syria in Wellington.
New Zealand will be one of 32 teams competing in the tournament in August next year, having qualified from the Asian confederation with two games to spare.
Tall Blacks dominated the visitors from the outset. The result was inevitable from as early as the first stanza, with Syria unable to score within the first 5 minutes and New Zealand holding a 31-5 lead at one stage.
The domination continued in the second quarter, granting coach Paul Henare the opportunity to introduce debutant Tyrell Harrison. The 213cm centre, who plays for the Brisbane Bullets, became the 21st player to pull on the black singlet during the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Syria would play better in the second half, outscoring the hosts, 48-36, but still finished on the wrong side of the scoreline.
"We started the game really well," said Henare. "The starters were great, the second wave that came in maintained. One of the biggest challenges in a game, when you are ahead 61-22, is maintaining that standard and level of play.
"While we may have dropped off towards the end, just to go through that process was good.
"Playing international hoops, there is no substitute for just being on the floor and competing on the international stage, no matter who you are playing against. For that, everyone will be better off. We will walk away from this having achieved one of our goals in qualifying for the World Cup and to be able to do that is a good day."
Veteran Tom Abercrombie led the charge as the side's top scorer with 15 points and three triples. Alex Pledger and Ethan Rusbatch finished on 11, while Mika Vukona notched 10.
The win was New Zealand's ninth in a row in qualifying. They have lost just once - their opening match of phase one against South Korea in Wellington, in November 2017.
The Tall Blacks have two remaining qualification matches away to Lebanon and Jordan in February.
Newshub.
