MORIAGA (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - There are some encouraging displays being turned in by New Zealand players around the world that bode well for the Tall Ferns ahead of their FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) campaign in Nantes, France.

The performances also say a lot about the future, too, because some of the best have been put on youngsters. Most encouraging of all is probably the continued development of Kalani Purcell, the younger sister of Tall Ferns Natalie and Charmian.

Kalani is a 1.85m forward and just 21 years of age. With Brigham Young University, she has been flat out dominating in the West Coast Conference. She is playing for the Cougars after suiting up for the Kiwis last summer against Australia in the FIBA Oceania Women's Championship.

Expectations were high for Kalani before her arrival in Utah as a transfer from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas and she has met them. Her coach, Jeff Judkins, talks about his player as if he hit the jackpot when he successfully recruited her.

She's by far the most versatile player in the country. And it is not even close. She's the best rebounder I've ever coached, probably the best passer I've ever coached and one of the best defenders I've ever coached. - Judkins

Kennedy Kereama, the New Zealand coach, played Kalani a lot in the Oceania series and she did a little bit of everything.

It's that way for the Cougars, too. In her last game, a 68-60 win over the San Diego Toreros, she had 13 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Kalani is among the NCAA's leading rebounders. She is averaging 11.6ppg, 12.7rpg, 4.9apg and more than 2spg.

Judkins thinks she may become even more influential. He believes the Otahuhu-born player can pour in more points.

"She is just so unselfish," Judkins said to the Salt Lake Tribune. "She doesn't shoot enough. But she is starting to realize what she needs to do in certain situations, and she has gotten better at that. I've kinda forced it, too, calling plays for her to score more. She's been a joy to coach."

New Zealand will need all hands on deck at the WOQT because they are in Group A with European juggernaut France and Cuba, a traditional heavyweight in the FIBA Americas.

If Kereama's side could finish in the top two, New Zealand would take on a team from a Group B that consists of Cameroon, Turkey and Argentina and the winner of that game could clinch a spot in the Olympics. Should the Kiwis get into that game and lose, they would have to win a couple of more games to reach Rio.

FIBA