Austin Reaves served as the do-it-all guy and the rest of Team USA responded with big games as the Americans drubbed the New Zealand Tall Blacks, 99-72, to set their FIBA World Cup campaign on a bright note at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers came off the bench to log 12 points, two rebounds, six assists, and three steals while making his teammates look good with Paolo Banchero top-scoring with 21 points and grabbing 4 rebounds.
Team USA bucked a slow start, allowing the Tall Blacks to stand taller and leading by as much as 10 points, 14-4, in the first five minutes following a triple by Finn Delany.
Banchero and Reaves put a semblance of order in the American offense as they started creeping in to steal the first-quarter lead at 19-18.
Matching the Tall Blacks’ post-up plays with a sleek running game with occasional sniping from Reaves and Leaf, USA took the first half at 42-36.
The Americans never looked back from there and further stretched the lead to 74-58 after a step-back trey by Banchero.
Anthony Edwards (14), Jaren Jackson (12), Tyrese Haliburton (10), and Jaren Jalen Brunson (10) were the other double-digit finishers for Team USA.
Meanwhile, in the other game at the MOA Arena, Jordan relied on former TNT Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who had 27 points, but still bowed to Greece, 92-71.
Greece had a more balanced scoring with six players scoring in double figures led by Nikos Rogkavopoulos with 17 points, on top of seven rebounds and two steals.
