The U.S. will resume play in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Monday after Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves scored 12 points to be among six Americans in double figures as they opened play with a 99-72 victory over New Zealand in Manila, the Philippines.
Reaves entered Saturday’s game with four minutes, nine seconds left in the 10-minute first quarter and the U.S. trailing 14-7. Reeves made a 3-point basket and had two assists as the U.S. closed the quarter on a 12-4 run for a 19-18 lead.
(One assist led to Cameron Johnson making two free throws, giving him an assist under international rules. He would not receive an assist on that play under NBA rules.)
“Obviously not the start we wanted,” said Reaves, who received a loud ovation from the many Lakers fans from the Philippines. “We’ll go back and watch film and learn from that, but our intensity and our physicality after that first five minutes was much better.”
Reeves made four of six shots, including both his 3-point shots, and both free throws. The U.S. outscored New Zealand by 19 points in the 22:20 Reeves was on the court, the game’s third-best plus/minus behind fellow Americans Josh Hart’s plus-28 and Paolo Banchero’s plus-22.
Banchero, the Orlando Magic forward, scored a game-high 21 points, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards 14 and Memphis Grizzlies forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr. 12.
Reuben Te Rangi, a forward with the South East Melbourne Phoenix of Australia’s National Basketball League, led New Zealand with 15 points.
The U.S. led 45-36 at halftime and 76-58 after three quarters in the Group C game at Mall of Asia Arena.
New Zealand is 26th in the rankings compiled by FIBA, basketball’s international governing body, based on recent tournament performances. The U.S. is ranked second behind Spain.
All but two of New Zealand’s 12 players play in the NBL. The exceptions are center Yanni Wetzell, who plays in Germany and power forward Isaac Fotu, who plays in Japan.
All 12 U.S. players play in the NBA.
The U.S. will face Greece Monday at 5:40 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time in a game to be televised by ESPN2.
Greece was a 92-71 winner over Jordan in its opener Saturday. It is ninth in the FIBA rankings.
Greece’s roster includes one NBA player, Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, whose younger brother, two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, is not playing in the tournament as he recovers from offseason surgery on his left knee.