NATIONALS SHUT OUT IN ACQ FEBRUARY WINDOW ENDURING GROWING PAINS

Hell-bent on avenging their previous defeat on Philippine soil in the November window, the Tall Blacks swarmed all over the Nationals in their return match and dispute for Group B's top seeding yesterday in Auckland, 87-70.

- OLMIN LEYBA

Not even the presence of a big-sized, roaring Pinoy crowd at the Spark Arena could give the travel-weary visitors the extra push as the world No. 22 hosts charged at them like a freight train in all of 40 minutes.

A thunderous 22-8 barrage in the last 7:31 of the first period spiked by four booming triples was all it took for the Kiwis to set the tone for the strong strike-back to Gilas' 93-89 upset in Manila nearly three months before.

The Tall Blacks claimed the No. 1 position in the bracket with a 5-1 card while relegating the Filipinos, who also stumbled in their preceding road game against Chinese-Taipei last Thursday, 89-93, to No. 2 at 4-2. Both have secured tickets to the Asia Cup proper set for August in Saudi Arabia.