Max Darling: Tall Black forward on their FIBA Asia Cup win over Lebanon

The New Zealand Tall Blacks are off to the FIBA Asia Cup semi-finals.  

They survived a stern examination of their title ambitions to beat Lebanon 90-86 for a place in the semi-finals. 

New Zealand's come back from a 20-point deficit at quarter time and will now play China in the last four. 

Lesley Murdoch caught up with Max Darling, Tall Black forward and newly-signed NZ Breaker after their comeback win against the Lebanese team. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, we made it through.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Oh man, what a game. What an atmosphere. Tell us
a little bit about what the atmosphere was like against Lebanon.

Speaker 1 (00:08):
Yeah, it was pretty wild.

Speaker 3 (00:09):
We've played against some big crowds before, but we've never
had anyone bow us and our team intros and especially
during the huker, So that was a bit different. What
did you think, Well, we knew what to expect. We
knew there was going to be a big crowd, we
knew it was going to be loud. But yeah, that
kind of surprised us a little bit. But I think
we took it personally, you know, we took it the

(00:30):
right way.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Talk to us about the game itself, because you had
to come from behind.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
We came back from I think twenty one points down
at one stage. We just had a terrible first quarter.
We were just fighting our way back the whole time.
It was just one of those games where we came
out a bit flat. But I feel like the general
thought from the whole team was that there was always
a chance and we were never fully.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Out of it.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
How they treated you at the beginning, you don't think
that that had a bearing on that first quarter.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
No, I don't think. So.

Speaker 3 (01:01):
We had four days off after our last pool game,
so that was kind of an unusual amount of time
to have off during a tournament. So I think we
just came out flat because we hadn't been ready, like
mentally for a game, and then the environment didn't help that.
But I don't think that was the main thing.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
It was a massive fight back really. I mean it
was just phenomenal to come back from those twenty two
points and then a team that expected to make the
top four and they haven't.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
A new have Yeah, No, it is really crazy. Everyone's
obviously really happy about it. There's a lot we can
work on for the semi which is tomorrow already. So yeah,
we've had a long video session today seeing what we
can fix, and then also getting ready for China in
our semifinal.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
China's always solid.

Speaker 3 (01:51):
They've got a big seven foot three guy in the paint,
so that's going to be a fun challenge for us.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
Yeah. They were pretty skilled and they love to fight
and go hard.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, so do the tool Blacks.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah exactly, so it's definitely going to be one to watch.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
Yeah, absolutely, So you taking out the player of the
match in the Lebanon game, you're feeling really good obviously,
I mean to come out with the eighteen points. And
it's not just the match against Lebanon either, I mean
throughout the campaign you have been consistently good. You must
be rolled.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah, no, I'm really happy.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
Considering my last age of Cup, I got to play
one game before I tour my fatal Attendon, so this
is a big turnaround for me and a big chance
to prove myself on the world stage again. So yeah,
I'm happy with the way I'm performing. But more importantly,
you know, the team's doing great. We've won all four games,

(02:45):
and every game we've had a different player of the
game from our team. So I guess that just kind
of shows how deep we are, and uh yeah, how
good of a team we are.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
We play together, you're.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Having different people contribute, and in the matches themselves, there's
lots of people contributing. It's not just coming down to
one or two people.

Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, no, it's really good. We like to share the
load evenly between us, you know, not make it too
hard on one person. We don't play selfishly, don't play individually,
and we keep it as same focused as we can.
And I think, yeah, like you said, the results have
been showing it a lot of people in double digits
and just getting the job done.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
Yeah, exactly. Well last week when we were talking to Judge,
he was saying, how hot it is outside? Clearly you're
playing inside, but what do you do with this sad time?

Speaker 1 (03:33):
That's a great question.

Speaker 3 (03:34):
There's not much really, it's like it is. I think
it was forty one degrees today, so we were just
in the pool. We had a recovery day in between,
so we spend most of our time just recovering in
the pool, in the sauna, in the cold tub.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
You know.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
We play cards and stuff in the hotel.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
What do you play? What cards? Who's the best card player?

Speaker 3 (03:54):
We play scum and I can't tell you who the
best card player is, but Tamoi might be the worst
card player.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Oh goodness. How are you making fun times in a team?

Speaker 1 (04:04):
Oh yeah, no, it it's really good. We all get along.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
We're a young team and I've all played with each
other or against each other, you know, in the New
Zealand League or in the Australian league. Even so we've
known each other for a while and I think it
shows on and off the court.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
So what's for dinner.

Speaker 3 (04:20):
No, no, no, we just finished dinner. It's all good.
We had a it's like a buffet every night. It's
catered to athletes, so there's a lot of good healthy
options there. There's some desserts as well that people have
been getting into.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Well why not, you're expending the niteah exactly. We just
wanted to catch up and congratulate you on that nineteen
to eighty six win and just want to whoo all
the very best against China. I mean, it will be tough.
If anyone can get going when it's tough, it's you guys.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Yeah, no, that's what it seems like. Thank you for that.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
I appreciate it. I'm just going to say make sure
you guys tune in. It's going to be a big one.
It's going to be a good fight. And it's not
a bad time to watch this game as well on
like some of the other ones. So yeah, tuning in.
It's eleven pm Saturday night as.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, So it's a what we really appreciate it. Mixdal
and go really well on the semi final.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
Well, thank you, thank you very much.

Speaker 3 (05:13):
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