The qualities Micaela Cocks saw in Oregon are what all college athletes want in a school: top notch facilities, an experienced coaching staff and academic support.
Her biggest draw – the competition – has come in practices and switches to games Friday in the Oregon women’s basketball team’s first exhibition game against the Australian Institute of Sport.
The New Zealand native goes into the 2006-07 season as the backup point guard to starter Tamika Nurse. Cocks presents a contrast to Nurse, who with her speed and ball handling abilities is a constant threat to attack the basket. Cocks by comparison is a steadier point guard with long distance range.
“Tamika is just so quick,” Cocks said. “I’m always on my feet. I always have to be ready for her.”
Nurse and Kaela Chapdelaine shared the point guard position last year, but Chapdelaine’s move to off-guard created an opening for Cocks to step in and contribute.
Cocks took a year off from school after she graduated from Takapuna Grammar/Rangitoto College in her hometown of Auckland, New Zealand in December 2004 and focused on playing for New Zealand’s National Team, The Tall Ferns.
She made her first appearance for the Tall Ferns at the 2005 William Jones Cup Tournament in Taiwan.
She has played for The Tall Ferns multiple times this year, including at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Cocks scored 10 points apiece in a 127-47 win over Malta and a 113-56 win against Malaysia. New Zealand downed Nigeria, 83-53, and then England 74-67 in the semifinal before falling to Australia, 77-39, in the final.
The Tall Ferns played three games against India – winning them all – with Cocks scoring 14 points each in two games. The team also traveled to Cuba and won two games against Cuba’s junior team and lost to the Cuban National Team three times.
New Zealand failed to qualify for the World Championships last September. The challenge, Cocks says, can be partly attributed to New Zealand’s smaller population and the popularity of netball, a sport that traces its roots to basketball.
The international experience in the long-term will be beneficial, she said.
“I’m sure it will,” Cocks said. “I’ve still got a long way to go. I’ve got a lot of things I need to improve on – just like being able to read the game better and stuff.”
Smith said: “That’s pretty good experience in terms of being ready to make a step like this – coming to the US and playing college ball.”
Smaller colleges such as Jacksonville and Oral Roberts expressed interest in her. Cocks chose to keep looking and contacted Oregon.
“As soon as I started talking with Oregon, that was it,” Cocks said. “I didn’t even bother with those other schools. This is definitely the one I wanted to come to. When I came here on my visit, the feelings and vibes I got were just great.”
Oregon coaches had already been looking at the New Zealand National Team and Smith liked what she saw in video tapes of the 5-foot-8-inch point guard.
“We were able to see that she was someone who could really help us and fit in to our program both as a student and as an athlete,” Smith said.
Smith saw attributes in Cocks – experience, leadership and toughness – that could help Oregon.
“We just really feel she’s a strong, solid player who’s going to grow in four years and become even better,” Smith said.
Oregon’s diverse roster with six foreign-born players on the roster appealed to Cocks.
“You can always find something in common with someone,” Cocks said. “Having that diversity, it’s such a good culture and I really do like it.”
Cocks’ transition extends from the basketball court to the classroom.
“I’m used to going to bed around 9:30 and at the moment it’s like 12:30, 1 o’clock just because you’ve always got this study to do,” Cocks said. “I got to get better at getting to bed a bit earlier and fitting in my study.”
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