It is not a normal scene that a team that lost the first three games, which is considered to be important, in the FIBA Basketball World Cup would magically step up to the next round.

Then, Nenad Vucinic declared that 'nothing can ever be a rarity' to him and his fellow Tall Blacks.

The standing of their group now opened its doors of opportunity for the New Zealanders. They are an inch close to clinching a spot in the Round of 16; a ticket to Barcelona with their sweat-dropping victory against Finland marking a score of 67-65. Only a punch-in-the-moon chance of Ukrainian win over the mighty USA can block the Kiwis from reaching the bacon of victory. In fact, New Zealand can even finish in third place of Group C if and only if Dominican Republic will trouble down team Turkey in the final game of the day.

"We hope miracles don't happen every day," Vucinic gag in the post game press conference.

He added: "We have done what we can. The other things are not in our hands now."

"We achieved what we set out for," said a calm Vucinic. He was on the New Zealand bench for the fourth time at the FIBA's flagship event.

"I don't think we are lucky. We deserve this," he added talking of the close shave.

"After the effort we have put on the last two days beating two great teams, I don't think anybody should call us lucky," he continued.

"Our first target today was to win. We have done that," he said.

"The rest of the story is beyond our control," he added about the possible placing in Group C or the possible match up in the Round of 16 against team Australia.

"We'll worry about that when we get there," he added.

As for Finland's waved of goodbye, he offered: "It's a shame that one team has to go out." 

"It was a fantastic experience for my team to play when such a huge crowd of fans is supporting the opposing team. It was as if we were playing in Finland. I think winning a game like this will toughen the team out even more, if we go into the next round."

(Source: FIBA official website)