Having watched his Lebanon team get beaten 108-76 by his former New Zealand side, coach Tab Baldwin described the Tall Blacks' effort as 'possibly the best' he had ever seen.
Coming from the man who was coach at the ground-breaking 2002 world championships in Indianapolis it was an indication of the quality of the side's first winning performance at the 2010 championships.
Kirk Penney top scored with 26 points (52.6 percent), including six three-pointers while Thomas Abercrombie had 23 points (52.9) to go alongside his seven rebounds. Fadi El Khatib top-scored for Lebanon with 18 points.
Lebanon had beaten Canada 81-71 in their first game but lost to France 59-86 in their second while the Kiwis lost both their opening encounters firstly to Lithuania and then to the defending champions Spain.
And with everything riding on this game for the Tall Blacks, they went back to their No.1 starting line-up of Penney, Craig Bradshaw, Mika Vukona, Lindsay Tait, and Abercrombie.
From the opening jump-off, Lebanon attacked New Zealand with a style similar to the Kiwis' own. One with speed and agility in an attempt to rattle the Kiwis, but it seemed to have the opposite effect as Abercrombie easily found his rhythm from outside the arc with a couple of three pointers in quick succession. The man-to-man defence employed in the prior two games by the Tall Blacks had been aborted, replaced with full court zone style defence that seamed to work a treat.
The Tall Blacks went into the second quarter with a lead of 32 points to 16 but made a stuttering start, letting in five quick points before a tactical time out was called.
After settling things down the Tall Blacks immediately got back into the groove of things and continued to dominate the half with Abercrombie scoring 14 of the 51 half-time points, closely followed by Vukona with nine. The Tall Blacks led 51-32 at the break.
The Tall Blacks resumed intent on terrorising their opposition and chose to give up a foul rather than let Lebanon get a clean look and get an easy basket.
Lebanon's frustration began to boil over with big man Matt Freije giving up a technical foul followed by team-mate and former NBA player (Phoenix Suns) Jackson Vroman who was called for an unsportsman-like foul the very next play.
Bradshaw didn't appreciate the treatment he had received in the collision and had a word or two to say to Vroman. "I just told him to take a look at the scoreboard," said Bradshaw.
The tension continued throughout the third quarter, only really ending when the buzzer sounded to signal the end of play with the Tall Blacks comfortably ahead 81-56.
Three minutes into the final quarter Lebanon's Jackson Vroman picked up his fifth foul before New Zealand's Mike Vukona also fouled out of the game.
The Tall Blacks added points from all over the court and the ones that didn't sink first time were quickly scooped up by an eager Kiwi player. Both Tom Abercrombie and Mike Vukona finished with 7 rebounds each.
Lebanon's captain Fadi El Khatib lead from the front scoring for his side with 18 points and picking up a total of seven rebounds.
Lebanon Coach Tab Baldwin said it was possibly the best performance he had ever seen from a Tall Blacks side. "They were aggressive and assertive and really took control of the game right from the tip- off."
The Tall Blacks now take on Canada on Thursday morning (NZT) who have yet to register a win, going down pool front runners France 68-63.