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Newton's Rick Rasmussen tabbed as GACA all-star game head coach
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Newton boys basketball coach Rick Rasmussen. - photo by Anthony Banks | The Covington News

No matter how much longer the Newton boys basketball team’s season lasts through the state tournament, Rams head coach Rick Rasmussen won’t be done coaching after his team’s last game. 

Rasmussen was named the head coach to the North All Stars senior boys team for the Georgia Athletic Coaching Association’s North South All Star Basketball game which will be played on April 1 in Brunswick High School’s new gym. 

The game will take place at 5 p.m., against the South All Stars which will be coached by Henry County boys coach Vince Rosser. 

Rasmussen’s in the midst of a deep state tournament run, as his top-ranked Newton squad (28-1) is slated to meet Tift County Wednesday night in the Elite Eight round of the Class AAAAAAA state tournament. 

The Rams’ current record is its best mark since Rasmussen’s 2009-10 squad finished 30-2 after a Final Four loss to eventual state champion Milton. 

This current Newton squad has been ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in most state polls for the majority of the season, and has been a fixture on the MaxPreps and USA Today National Top 25 high school rankings. 

Rasmussen is a 20 year member of the GACA, and has been coaching at Newton for 19 years — 12 of which at the helm of the program. 

The coach said that while he’s grateful for the honor, he has to give much credit to his assistants and young men who have been, and are, a part of his program. 

“I am honored to have been chosen to coach the GACA State Senior All-Star Game,” Rasmussen said. “Having been an active member of GACA for 20 years, and having attended the state all-star games on numerous occasions to watch our Rams play makes it extra special for me to coach in the game now. Without the hard work of our players, our coaching staff of Taylor Jackson, Marcus Taylor and Bobby Sims, and the support of our administration, this could not be possible.” 

With three of his players — Isaiah Miller, J.D. Notae and Ashton Hagans — likely to be all-state selections, Rasmussen is bound to have at least one of his current players on the all-star team’s roster. 

“I’m honored to represent Newton High and Rams basketball,” he said. “I also look forward to coaching a current Ram or two in the game as well.”  

Last season Newton standout Jaquan Simms played in the GACA Senior All-Star game, and Notae played in the junior game. The roster is still being finalized, so Newton fans will have to wait to find out which of its players will be named.