Rotorua's own budding basketball star Aroha Jennings is one-step closer to achieving her ultimate goal.
The 21-year-old is back in her home town while on summer break from the University of Memphis in America, where she has spent the first of two years there.
She was selected
for a four-year basketball scholarship and has already spent two years at Dodge City Community College in Kansas where she was team captain and the highest point scorer, averaging 16.8 points a game.
Now Jennings has achieved one of her ultimate basketball goals.
She received an email about three-and-a-half weeks ago telling her she had been selected for the New Zealand Tall Ferns team for their Japan tour.
She could not believe her luck.
"I was just shocked because I'd been playing in America for a while. I thought I may have slipped under the radar a little bit," Jennings said.
Making the team was a huge milestone in Jennings' basketball career because it meant she could now mark off one of her career goals.
"Since I was like 13 or 14-years-old it was always one of my main goals to represent my country in the national team and the national women's team, I'm just overwhelmed," she said.
"It's a privilege and an honour to represent your country but to be in the number one team," she said.
Jennings is one five new players included in the Tall Ferns team to play in Japan. She and the rest of the team leave New Zealand for Japan on Sunday and will play three games and one practise game during the five days they are there.
The next step for Jennings is to be part of the Tall Ferns training camps and making the China tour in June.
"The next month and training camps will help determine what the future may hold."
Jennings hopes to prove her worth in the Tall Ferns to be eyed for the the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In the meantime, Jennings will enjoy being back in New Zealand before heading back to the University of Memphis in July for her final year. She will finish with a Bachelor of Science and Education.
