Kiwis to test out new style
Cocks says Tall Ferns confident as coach puts fun back into game
After comfortably taking care of the Commonwealth Games minnows in Cairns, Tall Ferns combo-guard Micaela Cocks is eager to see how her team’s new system will stand up against the heavyweights from tonight. Playing in their first tournament under new coach Guy Molloy, a former Cairns Taipans mentor, the Kiwi women have been learning a fresh game style on the fly in the Far North.
BASKETBALL AFTER comfortably taking care of the Commonwealth Games minnows in Cairns, Tall Ferns combo-guard Micaela Cocks is eager to see how her team’s new system will stand up against the heavyweights from tonight.
Playing in their first tournament under new coach Guy Molloy, a former Cairns Taipans mentor, the Kiwi women have been learning a fresh game style on the fly in the Far North.
It has been so far so good for New Zealand, collecting victories over Malaysia, Jamaica and India, qualifying them for a crack at a Pool A nation tonight in Townsville tonight, likely to be Mozambique.
Cocks, who will return for the Townsville Fire’s WNBL championship defence in 2018-19, says Molloy has installed a fun atmosphere and filled players with confidence.
“With this being Guy’s first tournament with us, we are running a whole new system,” Cocks said.
“We have all been really eager to learn the new system and giving it our all.
“I feel like we have got better every game for the things he has asked us to do.
“We feel really confident and are enjoying the style of basketball we are playing.
“We are excited to put that to the test now against a team in Pool A of the tournament.
“We have had some big wins, but it will be good to try and implement our new style against a higher-ranked team.”
Cocks topscored with 21 points while Antonia Edmonson chimed in with 12 and Charlisse Leger-Walker and Chevannah Paalvast had 10 apiece as the Kiwis claimed their final win in Cairns on Sunday night.
They topped their pool of four and will play the bottom team from the other B pool, likely to be Mozambique, in the qualifying final tonight with the winner of that going through to the semi-final.
The Kiwis and Jamaica received the VIP treatment yesterday morning, flying in a chartered flight from Cairns to Townsville for their respective qualifying finals.
Cocks was an up-and-coming talent as part of New Zealand’s silver medal-winning campaign at Melbourne in 2006 and is keen to go one better on the Gold Coast.
The Australian Boomers and Opals played their last games of the group stage last night, with both finishing in the top two for their groups, which gives them three days rest before the semi-finals.
At the Cairns Convention Centre tonight, England and Scotland will play respective qualifying finals against either Canada and Nigeria, depending on last night’s results.
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