Wisconsin basketball commits Hayden Jones and Jackson Ball led New Zealand to the FIBA U19 World Cup Round of 16 on Wednesday.
A day removed from the team’s narrow 103-97 loss to Serbia, New Zealand responded with a critical 99-86 victory over China in its first win-or-go-home contest of the circuit.
New Zealand’s commanding 52-37 edge by intermission set the tone for the remainder of the contest, which concluded with a dominant defensive effort in the fourth quarter. After scoring 35 points in the third frame, China mustered just 14 total points in the final period of play, enabling New Zealand to advance to the next round of the World Cup.
Jones, who pledged his commitment to Greg Gard’s program on July 25, 2024, was responsible for 16 points off 6-of-12 from the field, 1-of-3 from 3-point range and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. The 6-foot-5 guard also corralled a team-best nine rebounds and dished out four assists in over 31 minutes of play. Seven of the class of 2025 product’s points arrived in the first quarter, fueling New Zealand to an 11-point edge within the first 10 minutes of action.
New Zealand national teamer and future Badger Jackson Ball also showed out with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists in over 29 minutes on the floor. Ball opened the tournament with a team-high 17 points against Argentina on June 28, and he dropped a team-leading 19 points against Serbia on July 1. Through three games, he ranks second on his team in scoring with 13.5 points per game.
Troy Plumtree ended the game with a 2 hands dunk.
Close game: NZL 99:86 CHN. 6 players with double digits.Hayden Jones 16PTS | 9REB | 4AST | 1BLK
Jackson Ball 12PTS | 5REB | 5AST | 2 BLK
Tama Isaac 18PTS | 6REB | 8AST | 2STL
Lachlan Crate 12PTS | 1AST
Cater Hopoi 13PTS |…— Kiwi Hoopers🇳🇿🏀 (@KiwiHoopers) July 2, 2025
Jones, meanwhile, is accountable for 13.3 points and a team-best 8.8 rebounds per contest. Both players appear towards the top of New Zealand’s scouting report, and they’ve put together impressive outings through four games thus far.
Behind strong performances from future NBA athletes Koa Peat, AJ Dybantsa, Morez Johnson Jr. and Christopher Brown, the Americans have amassed a perfect 4-0 mark, including a dominant 140-67 win over Jordan in their Round of 16 game on Wednesday.
New Zealand will square off next against Switzerland on July 4 for an opportunity to appear in the semifinals.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin commits Jackson Ball, Hayden Jones U19 World Cup stats