Resilient Rasmussen’s belief and positivity

Keanu Rasmussen has spoken of the internal belief that propelled him from getting limited minutes last season into a starter for the Adelaide 36ers.

Rasmussen was included in the starting five in the weekend's win over Cairns and performed well in nearly 20 minutes of overall game time.

The 23-year-old had four points, four rebounds and two assists in the 83-69 win, backing up another strong showing against Perth three days earlier.

It is a step up from the player who only hit the court 15 times last season for an average of four minutes.

Rasmussen says he forced himself to stay positive when he wasn’t getting court time.

“It's definitely tough,” he explained during a press conference with Adelaide media, “I think every player wants to play.

“Last season was tough, obviously, with the squad - we had such a deep run and such a deep squad - but I don't know, I just kept working.

“That was probably my biggest thing, staying positive the whole time that my opportunity's going to come, and once it does, just take advantage of that.”

Rasmussen admitted having offers to play elsewhere in the NBL but choosing to stay in Adelaide for a fourth season.

“Offers came up, but I think, at the end of the day, I'm from Adelaide. This is my hometown,” he explained.

“I love to come out with the uniform on and get out in front of the crowd.

“It's always, you know, growing up, the atmosphere, and I kind of just love being here in Adelaide.”

Despite finding it hard to break into the 36ers line-up last season, Rasmussen was called up for the New Zealand national team for the first time in February.

He stepped into the Sixers starting line-up in the absence of fellow Kiwi Flynn Cameron who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury.

Rasmussen said with Cameron, Isaac Humphries and Bul Kuol out of the side, others have had to step up, and it has benefitted him.

“Everyone kind of steps up to do roles and, you know, I got a call up and it was pretty exciting (to be a starter),” Rasmussen said.

“I think that's a big thing. Everyone's got their role. My role is, you know, kind of come in, control (the ball) a little bit, try to show at times what I can do, but I think the main part for me is staying solid (and) trying to get the team going.”

Rasmussen also revealed the role the injured Cameron had played in helping him prepare to play in recent weeks.

“Hopefully we can get out of that (moonboot) soon and get him back on the floor, because, you know, he is such a huge piece for us,” Rasmussen said of the injury.

“Flynn's always on the go, so he wants to just get out of the boot and start running around, (so it’s) definitely tough for him, but he's been really good, especially with me.

“That last game, he was just talking to me, helping me for what I need to be doing.

“If I ever had any questions in the game, or shootaround he was always there.”

Rasmussen and his 36ers teammates were at the State Basketball Centre at Wayville for an Adelaide 36ers School Holiday clinic on Tuesday and will be at another at St Clair on Wednesday as they prepare to travel to Illawarra to face the Hawks on Friday night.

The Hawks are currently bottom of the NBL ladder and winless after three games.

Rasmussen said after losing to them in the pre-season Blitz, the 36ers knew there was plenty of talent on hand at the NBL25 Champions.

“I don't really think we underestimate any team,” he said.

“Like as we've seen the start of the season, there's been a lot of huge recruits.

“Every team's got a host of star power, so I think we've got to go into this game just like any other.”

The Sixers face the Hawks on Friday night from 7:00pm before returning home to host New Zealand on Sunday from 4:30pm.

Limited tickets remain available for the Breakers game.

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