Matangiroa Flavell will be debuting for the New Zealand Tall Ferns squad next month in Taiwan. She and five others will take the court for the first time at top level to vie for their chance at bringing home the William Jones Cup.
Flavell says that she had always dreamed of this moment as a young girl. Now the fruits of her hard work and commitment are paying off.
"I was surprised, I was happy, I cried when the manager called me because I didn't believe her."
Flavell returned home at the beginning of this year after spending three years in the US playing college basketball.
"I have been thinking about this for a long time and I'm surprised at how early it has come so this is a big thing for me. Sometimes I don't believe that I've made the team, so its a big deal."
Flavell says that, having played in both the States and NZ, she has acquired many skills which have helped her to get to where she is now.
"I've come back and I'm way more committed to the game, to my practices because of my experience in America...I have gotten used to working hard."
She says her whānau have been her backbone throughout her life and are the reason she is where she is today.
"This is cool for me but I'm also doing it for my family because they are the ones supporting me, looking after me in this work. There has been a lot of money, a lot of time, I've lived away from home for a long time and I've come back. So, here are the fruits of their work."
She says the dream is possible for many people wanting to pursue her pathway- but it takes determination.
"Work hard, if there is something you really want to keep going no matter what. If there comes a time when someone shuts you down there's another way, find another way, there are many other ways to achieve your final goal."
The Tall Ferns travel to Japan on the 12th of July to prepare for the William Jones Cup Tournament starting on the 22nd of July.