Cook-Green joins US-boundbasketballers
dreams. Shou Nisbet, Sam Lees, Sam Riley and Tessa Morrison are all taking up scholarships at different colleges next month, while Jackson Stent, Sam Timmins, Laken Wairau and Brittany and Zoe Richards are already in the US.
All 10 players have been a part of the Mainland Eagles academy, which works with players to help them gain scholarships to US colleges.
‘‘It’s my dream to get over there, so I’m pretty excited but obviously really nervous and scared at the same time,’’ CookGreen said.
‘‘’I’m expecting it to be super hard when I first get over there. I just want to be able to blend in as soon as I can, really. Apparently, it’s super fast over there in Florida.’’
Cook-Green will play in the Florida Junior College League, widely regarded as the best NJCAA Division one league in the US.
Playing in a quality league will have its benefits.
Division one coaches and scouts regularly watch matches in the division, giving Cook-Green a stage to impress on and possibly secure a deal to join an NCAA div- ision 1 college in a couple of years. ‘‘Most of the guys in that team normally go to a division one team, just because the conference they play in is so good,’’ the former Otago Boys’ High School player said.
Cook-Green helped the Dunedin school win the national secondary schools title in 2014 before moving to Christchurch. He followed Rams coach Mark Dickel, who used to play for and coach the Dunedinbased Nuggets in the NBL before they folded in 2014, to the Garden City and gives him much credit for his development.
‘‘It’s been killer. He’s helped me out from the start since I’ve been little. I would have been stupid if I didn’t follow him up here,’’ he said.
Cook-Green also credited former Cashmere High School coach Ben Sheat for helping him academically and with his development as a point guard.
With only weeks before he leaves for Florida, Cook-Green is still battling back to full-fitness after a seven-month stint on the sidelines. He tore his Achilles tendon at last year’s national secondary schools championships and only returned to club basketball for the Checkers a couple of months ago.