{"id":901713,"date":"2026-09-22T21:04:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T21:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/901713\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T21:04:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T21:04:15","slug":"young-basketball-star-enjoys-full-roster-of-action-rangitoto-observer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/901713\/","title":{"rendered":"Young basketball star enjoys full roster of action \u2013 Rangitoto Observer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t23 September, 2026
\n\t\t\t\tYoung basketball star enjoys full roster of action<\/p>\n

\t \t\t\"\"\t \t<\/p>\n

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International stage\u2026 Imani Rasmussen in action for the Tall Ferns in Mexico last month<\/p>\n

Imani Rasmussen (16) has been bouncing around with basketball commitments this year, playing for the top Westlake Girls High School side, Harbour at the U20 nationals, the U17 World Cup and \u2013 most impressively \u2013 debuting as a Tall Fern at a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament.
She has been to China for warm-up games with the national U17 team, the Czech Republic for the U17 World Cup, and Guadalajara, Mexico, with the Tall Ferns.
She didn\u2019t expect to make the Tall Ferns so early in her basketball career.
\u201cI always dreamed of being a Tall Fern, but I was expecting it when I was maybe like 20,\u201d she says.
As to how she won her opportunity, Imani says, \u201cI think I practised professional habits at the U17 World Cup, and I performed somewhat well.\u201d
\u201cPerforming somewhat well\u201d has previously had Imani named Defensive Player of the Tournament and selected in the All Star Five at the U20 nationals.
In Mexico, the Tall Ferns won every game except their semi-final against Canada.
Imani says she really enjoyed the experience, and was \u201csuper grateful\u201d.
\u201cAll those girls are really smart and professional in how they manage themselves. Hopefully I get to play again with them in the future, and it\u2019s good to have all those connections.\u201d
She also spoke highly of the Tall Ferns coaches. \u201cThey slotted me in really nicely, and there was no separation just because of my age.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said transitioning from \u201cheaps of game time\u201d at the U17 World Cup to shorter stints in the Tall Ferns games taught her to always be present.
\u201cI learnt that when I\u2019m on the court to just make the most of it, to give 110 per cent regardless, it\u2019s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and to just really treasure it.\u201d
Imani\u2019s mum, Stacey Rasmussen, says she received texts every night about how Imani was doing.
\u201cFrom the beginning they understood how old she was, and they were making sure she was comfortable and we were comfortable. She\u2019s actually travelled quite a lot now, but it\u2019s still hard for us to let her go so far.\u201d
She says the regular contact made the family feel at ease.
Next up for Imani, she has qualified to compete in the secondary school national tournaments for both basketball and netball.
\u201cI think everyone expects [basketball] to be my priority, and I am in more professional environments with basketball, but I still do netball.\u201d
She is also part of the North Shore-based K\u0101hu Basketball women\u2019s team, and will compete with them in Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa, New Zealand\u2019s premier women\u2019s basketball league.<\/p>\n

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