A young New Zealand basketball side accounted for the Mississauga Power - a Toronto-based all-star outfit - 92-65 at the four-team tournament at Szenchen, China, overnight (NZT).
Ahead 39-33 at halftime, the Tall Blacks took command in the third quarter (27-14) then let their rookies close out the match.
With several experienced performers unavailable for this Chinese tour, coach Nenad Vucinic has invested heavily in promising youngsters to help develop depth in the international programme.
The playing line-up that closed out the game was an all-rookie combination of guards Izayah Mauriohooho Le'afa (16 points) and Brook Ruscoe, forwards Reuben Te Rangi (19) and Jordan Ngatai, and centre Jack Salt (17).
Salt has been starting in the middle, but came off the bench last night for 16 points and eight rebounds. Mauriohooho Le'afa started and logged 14 minutes at the point and Ruscoe hit a pair of three-pointers for eight points in a three-minute cameo.
After two wins, the Tall Blacks will look to extend their streak tomorrow morning against local Chinese Basketball League side Liaoning, who beat the Canadians by 18 points two nights ago.
The eight-game China tour is being used as preparation for next month's Oceania Championship home-and-away series against Australia.
"Initially, I think we were a bit surprised by their physicality, but we did a good job of weathering the storm," veteran forward Casey Frank said of their opposition. "The Canadians actually played pretty well together, better than you'd expect from an all-star team like that.
"But during that third quarter, our senior leadership stretched the lead out to about 20, with Mika Vukona doing a good job of setting the tone with his determination and athleticism.
"We had all our young guys out on the court at the end, and it was a lot of fun for us older guys and the coaching staff to watch them dominate."
Guard Corey Webster matched Salt's output with 16 points to lead the Tall Blacks scoring for the fourth straight outing. Tom Abercrombie began to settle into the rotation after his late arrival to China, contributing 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks, and Vukona had nine points and 10 rebounds.
New Zealand 92 (Corey Webster 16, Jack Salt 16, Tom Abercrombie 13, Casey Frank 11, Everard Bartlett 10, Mika Vukona 9, Brook Ruscoe 8, Reuben Te Rangi 7, Jordan Ngatai 2) Mississauga Power 65.
