Rotorua teens travel to Jordan to represent New Zealand in basketball

Dedication, hard work and striving for their goals has seen two Rotorua teens travelling to Jordan to represent New Zealand in basketball.

Rotorua Girls' High School students Hana Lacey-Rameka, 17, and Carly Ohia, 17, have been selected for the U17 Women's National Basketball Team, and have this week headed to Jordan to play in the U16 FIBA Asia Cup Tournament.

The FIBA U16 Women's Asian Championship in Jordan will qualify four teams from the region for the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2022, which will take place in Debrecen, Hungary, from July 9 to 17.

The girls are also both in the Rotorua U17 Girls rep team and the Rotorua Girls' High School senior team.

Hana and Carly have both played basketball since they were little, and are excited to be representing their country.

Carly says getting to this point has been a three-year process with Basketball New Zealand, making it into squads and working their way up.

She was originally a non-travelling reserve for the Jordan trip, but got the call last Tuesday that she would going over with the team.

It feels unreal to be going because she found out so close to the trip, she says.

Carly says she is looking forward to the experience and getting to do so with her friends and teammates.

When asked what she loves about the sport of basketball, Carly said it was that she can always improve and find ways to get better.

"For me, it's working on yourself, getting yourself where you want to be, and it gives you something to challenge yourself with."

It also brings lots of people together, she says.

"When you go away like this it's really special because you are all there for the same reason and have worked as hard as everyone else. It's amazing."

Hana says they had about six basketball camps and then the girls were narrowed down to a squad of 12 and eight reserves. She found out she had made the U17 Women's National Basketball Team in April.

When she found out she was excited, and also nervous thinking about how they would go up against other countries.

"I'm looking forward to playing different countries, seeing the different levels of athletes and playing with some of the best players in our country."

Hana says, especially starting basketball at a young age, you grow up working really hard towards goals like this, and it's great seeing where you can make it after all the hard work.

The FIBA U16 Women's Asian Championship games will be available to watch at www.fiba.basketball/asia/u16women/2022.