Jillian is helping the Tall Ferns go for the gold

The Tall Ferns (the New Zealand Women's Basketball National Team) have named Jillian to the 12-member squad that will compete in the FIBA Women's Basketball Asia Cup in July, aiming to qualify for the FIBA 2018 Women's Basketball World Cup.

The Tall Ferns have a much better chance than ever to advance to the World Cup, because FIBA has re-organized the continental competitions this year.

In the past, Australia and New Zealand (and many other small Pacific national teams) competed in the Oceania Championship, which was virtually a "gimme" for powerhouse Australia, which has won 15 of the 16 Oceania Championships since 1974.

This year New Zealand and Australia will compete alongside six Asian teams. The top four at the tournament will qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

New Zealand and Australia will not meet until the semi-final (or final) round of Asia Cup, because they are assigned to different groups.

New Zealand, which is ranked #38 in the world, is grouped with China (#10), Chinese Taipei, (#34) and North Korea (#64).

This is Jillian's fourth summer of international competition with the Tall Ferns. She first joined them in the 2008 Olympics, between her junior and senior years at Stanford. She re-joined the team in 2012 and again in 2016 for the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Read more: Experienced Tall Ferns to lead the way in Asia