Cocks eyes World Champs

Dual JCU Townsville Fire championship winner Micaela Cocks will chase a return to big-time international basketball this week in India. The New Zealand co-captain, who claimed silver at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games before representing the Tall Ferns at the Beijing Olympics, has spent the past decade watching from the sidelines as Australia claimed the Oceania position at most of the sport’s major tournaments. But with the Tall Ferns and Opals now qualifying through this week’s Asia Cup, the 2015/16 Rachael Sporn Medallist is within striking distance of a World Cup berth with the top-four advancing to next year’s tournament. In the pool games, New Zealand are drawn to meet China, DPR Korea and Chinese Taipei. With all eight teams automatically qualifying for the quarter-finals, the Tall Ferns will be looking to avoid a couple of the heavyweights in Pool B by finishing as high as possible in their pool. Those quarter finals, to be played next Thursday, take on huge significance with the top-four teams at the Asia Champs qualifying for the World Cup in Spain. In short, a quarter-final win is a ticket to the World Cup. Pool B is made up of defending champions Japan, Korea, Philippines and Australia. New Zealand commence their Asia Cup campaign against China at 10.15pm on Sunday night. Click here for more information on New Zealand’s Asia Cup campaign.