WARRNAMBOOL Seahawks import Cameron Mitchell wants to take his game to a new level — the National Baseketball League.
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The 23-year-old, who had a huge impact in his debut Australian season last year with the Seahawks in the Big V division one competition, will next week get a taste of the NBL.
The 203-centimetre power forward is ramping up his preparation for his second season with the Seahawks, joining NBL club Melbourne Tigers for a three-day training camp.
But Mitchell is treating his opportunity as more of an audition than training.
“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBL,” Mitchell said.
“I really hope I go well.”
Mitchell, a renowned hard worker off the court, has adopted a punishing physical preparation since returning to Warrnambool a month ago.
He has been completing individual basketball sessions, weights and three boxing sessions a week on top of his team training sessions.
“As it is now, I’m going to train (with the Tigers) and evaluate my skills,” he said.
“I would love to do well.
“I’ve been working really hard and I feel really fit. I feel it is a good time to showcase my skills.
“When you think of the NBL, you think of a team like the Melbourne Tigers.”
Mitchell said the opportunity to train with the Tigers was too good to refuse and had the potential to open other avenues for his career.
He secured the session after his boxing coach Rodney Ryan put him in contact with his lifelong friend, Tigers coach and former Seahawks coach Trevor Gleeson.
“Hopefully it works out well. I’m excited to get the opportunity. I’m just working as hard as I can,” Mitchell said.
He said the training sessions, from next Wednesday to Friday, would not impact on his Seahawks campaign. He has a week after the Tigers sessions to return and resume practice with the Warrnambool side before the Seahawks’ opening match on March 17.
Seahawks coach Tim Gainey said the Tigers trip was significant for Mitchell.
“These opportunities only come by once,” Gainey said.
With the Melbourne Tigers enduring a tough NBL season, sitting sixth and unlikely to squeeze into the top four for the finals, the club will review its roster when its season finishes on March 23.
Another opportunity could then arise for Mitchell.
grbest@standard.fairfax.com.au
