The Tall Blacks have been beaten 86-72 in their second match at the FIBA Asia Cup at Jakarta on Saturday morning (NZ time).
Entering the game off the back of their 100-47 demolition of India on Wednesday, the relatively inexperienced Kiwis kept pace with the Lebanese until the final quarter of the contest, when they were outscored by 10 points to be consigned to defeat.
Takiula Fahrensohn was the standout for the Tall Blacks, scoring 21 points while nailing four of his six attempts from three-point range. Kruz Perrott-Hunt (10 points) was the only other Kiwi to reach double figures.
The highly physical Lebanon were led by Wael Arakji's game-high 25 points, who was one of the driving forces behind the mammoth 29-point final quarter that sealed their victory.
The loss drops the Tall Blacks to second behind the undefeated Lebanese in Group D, with their final group match against Philippines scheduled for Monday.
