The most important implement that accounts for the Oregon women’s 4-5 Pacific-10 Conference record is taped to Micaela Cocks’s wall. It’s a piece of paper detailing the duties of a successful point guard within the Oregon offense.
“Just to remind myself, so I can concentrate each day in practice,” Cocks said.
In a season defined thus far by injuries and inconsistencies, Cocks is the rock holding the Ducks together. Oregon saw its backcourt depth cut into significantly with injuries to Taylor Lilley (shins), Nia Jackson (torn ACL) and Rita Kollo (broken foot). Jackson’s injury left Oregon with freshman Darriel Gaynor as the only “true” point guard on the roster, and in sliding over a spot and picking up its nuances she has made it her own.
In the Oregon offense, the point guard is in charge of bringing the ball up the court and making the first pass to initiate the offense. The point guard’s duties further extend to the transition offense, where important decisions must be made. Pass it off or attack the hoop? Slow down or speed up? Maintain the tempo or look to alter it?
Cocks entered college basketball as a 20-year-old freshman who was a “young player basketball-wise,” said assistant coach Phil Brown. As a 5-8 shooting guard, playing time was difficult to come by in a backcourt featuring Kaela Chapdelaine, Tamika Nurse, Cicely Oaks and (eventually) Lilley. Cocks played in all 31 games as a freshman, averaging 15.3 minutes and 3.4 points per game.
The Auckland, New Zealand, native joined the New Zealand women’s national basketball team in 2005, playing the role of backup shooting guard in the Tall Ferns’ unusual “stacked” offense. The shooting guard and small forward lineup behind the post players on the block and flare out to the wings as the posts run up to the free throw line for a pass. Should the posts receive the pass, the wings utilize backdoor cuts for scoring opportunities.
The Tall Ferns traveled to Beijing for the Olympics in August, going 1-4 in pool play and failing to advance past pool play. Cocks had a combined nine points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the five games; her best outing was a four-point, two-rebound performance against the Czech Republic on Aug. 15.
“I just gained more experience,” Cocks said. “My goal was to learn as much as I can, and I just wanted to have fun with it. Being able to play against top players is helping me understand the game better.”
In playing national teams from such nations as China, Spain and the U.S. (the eventual gold-medal winners), Cocks received an education about basketball at its highest level.
“International basketball is very physical. She’s not taken aback with the physical style of game,” Brown said. “The tempo of the international game is much quicker than the college game. There’s less stoppages or coach intervention.”
Almost the minute Cocks stepped off the plane from Beijing to Eugene, she stepped back on the plane from Eugene to Italy, as the Ducks engaged in a 10-day tour of the country for some cultural education and competition against club teams. Oregon went 4-0, but lost Jackson to her ACL tear in the second installment. Cocks had to step into the point guard role and shoulder a heavier workload.
“I had to really focus, trying to organize everyone as well as score,” Cocks said of the transition from shooting guard to point guard. “There were games where I struggled with that balance.”
Film sessions with Brown helped ease her into the role.
“Obviously, there’s so much going on on the court, so you miss some things. On film, you can see the mistakes a lot better,” Cocks said. “Film is so powerful. I probably don’t use it enough.”
Incredibly, Cocks has physically kept up with a demanding schedule, as the Ducks faced six non-conference opponents that made the 2008 postseason, in addition to the conference schedule. Often playing all 40 minutes when Lilley missed time, Cocks leads the team with an average of 36.7 minutes per game and played all 40 minutes of the game against Portland on Jan. 26. But it is Cocks who sets the standard for the Oregon women for physical fitness – and as an internationally elite athlete, that standard is very high.
“She runs her beep test score at the same level as Steve Nash, (and) his condition is legendary,” head coach Bev Smith said.
“Her conditioning is really outstanding. Her strength has really improved,” Brown reaffirmed.
The coaching staff and team all have confidence in her, based on the improvements she’s shown in usurping a new position.
“I think it’s a credit to her that she’s gone back to New Zealand and continued to add to her game,” Brown said. “She’s really developed her ball-handling skills and passing skills.”
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