Britt near triple-double leads Tall Blacks

• The New Zealand Tall Blacks won game three of the Trans-Tasman Throwdown, beating the Australian Boomers 106-97
• Australia take the series 2-1 after winning the pening two games of the series
• The Tall Blacks dominated the Boomers on the boards in game three 50-28

The New Zealand Tall Blacks have given the Australian Boomers a dose of their own medicine, dominating the boards on their way to a 106-97 win over their rivals in the third and final game of the Trans-Tasman Throwdown at Globox Arena in Hamilton.

After being outworked on the glass in a loss on Friday night at the Sunshine Coast, the Tall Blacks responded, winning the rebound count 50-28 and grabbing 24 offensive rebounds, which led to 34 second chance points.

New Zealand guard Taylor Britt also built on his 19-point performance from game two, with the newly-signed New Zealand Breaker on triple-double watch with 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists to lead Judd Flavell's side to victory.

The Tall Blacks established early dominance, jumping to a 12-point lead in the first quarter and outscoring the Boomers 28-16. The visitors maintained their advantage through the second period as both teams scored 28 points each, sending New Zealand into halftime with a comfortable 57-44 lead.

New Zealand continued their stellar play in the third quarter, extending their advantage to 24 points by outscoring Australia 31-20. With an 88-64 lead heading into the final period, the game appeared firmly in the Tall Blacks' grasp before Australia mounted a spirited comeback attempt.

The Boomers found their rhythm in the fourth quarter, putting together an 11-point scoring run and outscoring New Zealand 33-18. Led by Elijah Pepper's efficient scoring, Australia narrowed the gap significantly but couldn't overcome the substantial deficit they faced.

Tall Blacks skipper Reuben Te Rangi delivered an outstanding shooting performance, connecting on 6-from-7 field goal attempts, including a perfect 4-from-4 from beyond the arc for 18 points.

New Zealand's rebounding advantage helped New Zealand overcome their 13 turnovers against Australia's 12.

Pepper led the way for the Boomers with 28 points, including three triples, while Mitch Norton had 19 points.