Feb. 3, 2004
Arnaud DahiBy Graham ChasePA Press.Net
NORFOLK, VA.-- Basketball is much more than just a game for Arnaud Dahi. The sporttook him from his native Ivory Coast to high school and a new life in the US.
Dahi is now majoring in business at Old Dominion University, having crossed the Atlanticin 2001, and has firmly established himself as an important part of the Monarch squad.
An imposing all-around athlete, Dahi's humble attitude off court is almost as impresiveas his performance on it.
"It's going very good at the moment," said the 6-7 freshman. "I'mtrying to keep everyonehappy and pick up some good grades. I want to get a college degree so I can get a jobbecause I might not be in basketball all my life."
Dahi has certainly come a long way since taking his first steps in a game in hishometown of Abidjan.
He recalls: "Everyone else I knew was playing basketball and I just joined in. Therewas a little club we played at where we learned the basics and have little competitionswith other clubs." Basketball is the Ivory COast's second sport behind soccer, but thatdidn't stop the impressionable Dahi watching games on television- and one player inparticular caught his eye.
"Everyone loved Michael Jordan back home, he was the reason everyone liked basketball,"said Dahi. "Some NBA matches were on TV, but they wouldn't show regular season games. Iplayed soccer because back home everyone played soccer, and when you are a little kidyour dad would go buy a little soccer ball for you to play with. It wasn't really a delemmabecause I wasn't that good at."
If Dahi's soccer skills could have been better, his exploits on the basketball court hadpeople sitting up and taking notice-even as far a way as the United States. In 2001, hecame over to study at Life Centre Academy in New Jersey. Dahi remembers the move being far from complicated as the talented young player was plucked from his African home and offereda new life overseas.
"I had a friend in the U.S. and he got someone from his high school to watch me on tape,"said Dahi. "They send over the papers and brought me over." While that sounds simple enough,Dahi's life would be a little more complicated. At such a young age, and without speakingthe language, it was so different from living back home," Dahi explains. "It was difficultwhen I first got here because I couldn't speak english. I had to learn english and a newculture. It was tough, but definitely worth it."
The 6-7 forward also had to get used to a much more elevated standard of basketball, but hetook the step with confidence and was a runaway success in New Jersey.
"The standard of basketball was much higher", said Dahi. "It's very different becausethere is more organization and it's a different set up, but I'm used to it now. I'vebeen here three years."
Dahi averaged 19.5 points and 7.8 rebounds to help lead Life Academy to a 30-7 record,as they won the Christian Invitational Championship, as well as the Penn-New Jerseyleague title. Since coming to ODU, he has already earned Colonial Athletic AssociationRookie of the Week honors. Dahi is averaging 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.He is ninth in the CAA in rebounding, fourth in blocked shots and seventh in the leaguein field goal percentage.
Dahi has been pleased with his collegiate start, but recognizes that he still has a lotto learn. "I really like the university and the area," said Dahi. "Personlly I feel I'mplaying well and want to continue to improve and help Old Dominion win a league championship."