Team USA seems a bit surprised by New Zealand haka (Video)
By Phil Watson
One of the things about the FIBA World Cup is that players from all over the world get to experience different cultures.
From the looks on the faces of Team USA players Derrick Rose, James Harden and Kenneth Faried, they weren’t quite sure what to make of one of the greatest traditions in international competition—the haka as performed Tuesday in Bilbao, Spain, by the New Zealand national team.
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The U.S. players moved past the dance quickly, taking a 57-35 halftime lead en route to a 98-71 win over the Kiwis that improved Team USA to 3-0 in group play, all but guaranteeing a berth in the elimination round.
Faried finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds and Harden scored 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting—he was 6-for-8 from the foul line—and handed out four assists.
Rose, however, might have been a bit thrown off—he was 1-for-6 on the night and finished with three points in 17 minutes.
Anthony Davis led the American cause with 21 points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes and was one of six Team USA members to score in double figures in the win.
The U.S. hasn’t been tested much yet in Bilbao—they have outscored their three opponents by a total of 107 points thus far, averaging 103.3 points per game while allowing only 67.7.