HAMISH BIDWELL
You can take it as read that Arthur Trousdell doesn't see himself as an eight-minute man.
Just back from the completion of his Physical Education degree at Cameron University in the United States, the 25-year-old was a surprise addition to the 0800 Easy LPG Hawks' roster for last Friday's 77-71 overtime win against the Wellington Saints.
So surprising in fact, that most of his family didn't even know he was in town. "I wanted to keep it a secret from my brother and my mum, although I did tell my dad," Trousdell said.
"I took my finals early, so that I could come back a couple of weeks sooner. They had no idea, so it worked pretty well."
Trousdell played 7:49 on the night, in which he scored two points and pulled down a solitary rebound. It's a far cry from the 29 minutes he averaged at Cameron, where his 14.3 points, plus 5.9 rebounds, made him the second-leading scorer on the team.
He may or may not hit those heights with the Hawks during the remainder of this season's Primo NBL, but he's determined to try.
"I'd like to push for a starting spot, but for me, it's not so much about starting as it is about trying to become a part of this team.
"If I can settle in and get to the level of performance that I'm capable of, then I'll play significant minutes and become a big factor in the team's success," he said.
That's not just talk either. When Hawke's Bay Today talked to him, Trousdell was methodically going through coach Shawn Dennis' playbook, in an effort to get up to speed ahead of tonight's match against the Manawatu Jets in Palmerston North.
"It's a good system and I like what Shawn is doing. It should suit my game," he said.
Because if he's got a chance of realising his childhood dream of playing for the Tall Blacks in July's Jeep International Series against Australia, he needs to get moving.
"Yeah, it's always been my goal to represent my country and it always will. But it's not just going to be handed to me, I have to be diligent," he said.
"I made the squad to prepare for the Commonwealth Games, but I don't really know where I stand right now. You've got guys who are established Tall Blacks players who will want to be playing against Australia, so it will be difficult.
"Anything's possible and hopefully it will be this year, but if it's not, I'm going to keep trying every year until I make it."
But, post this season, he's unlikely to be it doing from Hawke's Bay.
"I'm hoping to go and play in Europe after this," he said.
"I've got an agent looking over there for me and the advantages I have is that, because my father is British, I have a British passport and can play as a European player, plus I've done four years at an American university.
"That makes me quite attractive to teams."
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