Fuente: © FIBA World Championship 2006
http://www.fiba2006.com/

FIBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006: BRA - Brazil win third game against Tall Blacks

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BRASILIA (FIBA World Championship) - Brazil completed a hat-trick of wins in their FIBA World Championship warm-up series against New Zealand thanks to a 95-83 success in Brasilia.

The hosts led 23-19 at the end of the first quarter and had stretched that advantage to 47-40 at half-time. Although the Tall Blacks managed to close the gap to just one point in the third, the 2005 FIBA America Championship winners once more pulled away to ensure their third triumph in the four-game friendly series.

Leandro Barbosa, a point guard who is coming off a very good season with the Phoenix Suns, led the Brazilians with 19 points and six rebounds while DKV Joventut’s emerging star Marcelo Huertas also chipped in 19 points. New Zealand’s Kirk Penney poured in 25 points but it was not enough for the visitors.

“We played well during the first half, but New Zealand played better than in our earlier two games and they made things complicated for us,” Barbosa said. And Marcelinho added: “We didn't mark well in the third quarter, allowing New Zealand to reduce the deficit.

“But we took control of the game in the last quarter and we were a clear winner. But we have to continue working to correct our mistakes.”

The two teams will meet again in Sao Paulo on Saturday for the final clash of the series.

In the FIBA World Championship, Brazil will play in Group C alongside Greece, Lithuania, Turkey, Australia and Qatar.

The Tall Blacks have been drawn in Group B with Panama, Germany, hosts Japan, Spain and Angola. notas_de_prensa_archivo