Composed, aggressive and powerful — these are the trademark qualities of a basketball player. A classic example is 6’5’’ national player Eudrick Pereira from Kerala.
Meeting the towering 22-year-old outside the playing arena was like being intimidated by the ‘gentle hush’, nickname of former West Indian pacer Curtly Ambrose, revered for his gentlemanly behaviour on and off the field.
Eudrick, who hails from Koratty in central Kerala, plays in the important position of a power forward for the national side and believes the country is set for bigger challenges in the game.
“In the last few years, India has developed a lot in sports. In sports, it’s quite challenging to play a fair game and at the same time be ready for the harsh treatments you can be subject to on the court, playing tough opponents,” says Eudrick, who is a member of the national team that will play in the FIBA Asian Basketball Championship to be held in Wuhan, China in September.
The youngster, who was forced to shift from high jump to basketball during his school days, is one of the two talented lads from the State, the other being Basil Philip, to be part of the Indian team that has undergone quite a lot of positive changes since being trained by Kenny Natt, erstwhile assistant coach of Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA.
“Playing under the foreign coach was a great experience and it’s good that we get to play stronger opponents, which gives you the feeling that you have to raise your game to meet global standards,” says Eudrick, who is employed with the Central Excise in Kochi.
Eudrick has loads of international experiences, all of which started off from the Reebok Asia Cup Youth Championship at China in 2005, which was his first major tournament.
The next year, he made it to the Middle Asia Qualifying Round at Kuala Lumpur and then the Junior Asian Championship in China. His biggest platform was being part of the Indian team in the Guangzhou Asiad last year.
Having played against Sri Lanka in the middle Asia qualifying round, how big does he feel is the difference compared to other Asian or European team?
“There is a lot of difference, especially considering that we were quite comfortable against Sri Lanka. But, that is just the first level, there are stronger teams in Asia. China is the best. Their players might not look bulky like the NBA guys, but they are amazing. With more international exposure, it is possible to give the stronger teams a tough fight,” he adds.
And who is his inspiration? “My parents of course, particularly my father Eugene. But, on court, I’m very much inspired by Dirk Nowitzki, who plays for Dallas Mavericks,” says Eudrick.