Surreal feeling for young gun Rasmussen

Adelaide 36ers guard Keanu Rasmussen said it was a ‘surreal’ feeling when he hit the Entertainment Centre court last Saturday night against Tasmania JackJumpers.

The NBL25 development player was a revelation against the reigning champions, scoring nine points and dishing four assists, while also guarding one of the league’s best players.

“I would have liked to get the win, but it was awesome to get that opportunity to come out and play my role, it was great to be out there,” Rasmussen said this week.

“It was a pretty surreal feeling.

“When I first got out there, I was buzzing a little bit, but I got that first score and I settled in.”

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Not only did Rasmussen connect on his first three field goals, he also was given the job and limiting Tasmania’s marquee man Milton Doyle.

“At the end, I was matched up against Doyle, I was guarding him in crunch time, so that was pretty crazy,” he said.

In his second season at the 36ers, last Saturday night’s game was Rasmussen’s first real exposure to the next level and he said head coach Mike Wells had some great insights.

“He (Wells) was like ‘come out and play your game’, he got me in early so I could get use to it,” he said.

“It’s the same this week, I’ve got that (first) game out of the way now, so it’s all about just going in and doing what the team needs me to do.”

Rasmussen will again be called upon to play big minutes in Brisbane against the Bullets on Friday night, with Adelaide still without suspended import point guard Kendric Davis.

Davis will be back in the line-up for Sunday’s home game against Perth Wildcats, but Rasmussen said his mindset won’t change.

“Just stay ready, if my name gets called, I need to go out and do what I need to do,” he said.

“This is home, I love playing in Adelaide, in front of the crowd, it’s awesome, I just what to come out and do what I can to help the team win.”