Canterbury Rams coach Mark Dickel is calling for Ethan Rusbatch to get a Tall Blacks trial on the back of a breakout season. Rusbatch has been one of Canterbury’s most reliable performers in a disappointing National Basketball League campaign. He has averaged 15.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 45 per cent from three point range. In last Sunday’s 103-94 home loss to Nelson, Rusbatch equalled his career-high of 27 points, which he had previously achieved twice this season. The 23-year-old swingman has been the most improved New Zealand player in the league this season, along with Manawatu’s Brook Ruscoe. Dickel hoped Rusbatch had done enough to make Tall Blacks coach Paul Henare’s list of triallists. Rusbatch, who has co-captained the Rams with Marques Whippy this season, would battle to make the final squad, but would benefit from training alongside the country’s top basketball talents. “I’d like to think he would [be a triallist], but that’s up to Paulie to decide who he wants,” Dickel said. “He’s one of the better players in the league. We don’t have a lot of really good New Zealand players in the league, period. He’s one of the better ones now.” Rusbatch has been granted more of an offensive license this season and Dickel was pleased with his development. The Cashmere High School product was still a long way off the finished article and it was important he kept finetuning his defence, ball handling and passing. “No-one works harder than him. He’s a great kid. I have no doubt he’s going to get better,” Dickel said. “He’s got the skillset now, whereas before he didn’t really have the skillset. He was just a really good athlete. Now, he can really shoot the ball.” Rusbatch and the Rams, who have a 7-8 record, have all but been eliminated from finals contention. Canterbury face an away double-header against winless Taranaki [0-14] on Friday night and Hawke’s Bay [5-10] on Sunday afternoon. One player, who won’t be suiting up for the Rams in their final three games will be young guard Tony Tolovae, who has fallen out of favour. Tolovae followed Dickel north after playing for the Otago Nuggets last season, but struggled to make an impact in his limited minutes. “‘Sometimes, you just have expectations that maybe aren’t realistic,” Dickel said of Tolovae. “He’s tried his hardest, but he wasn’t able to get it done.” Dickel was desperate to see greater intensity from the Rams on their North Island road trip. He said they had not been hungry enough at times this season. Canterbury have battled for consistency, often following up a strong quarter with a mediocre one. “We’ve got a team that’s more than capable of beating anyone, but we’ve got a team that’s more than capable of losing to anyone too.”

AT A GLANCE:

Rams’ travelling squad:

Ethan Rusbatch (c), Marques Whippy (c), Jeremy Kench, Jermaine Taylor, Mickell Gladness, Richie Edwards, Sam Timmins, Joe Cook-Green, Gareth Dawson, Marty Davison.