Basketball New Zealand

Micaela Cocks (ImageSport NZ)

Tall Ferns guard Micaela Cocks starred in her final home game for University of Oregon, but could not prevent a second-half collapse that consigned the Ducks to their fourth consecutive loss.

Cocks and her fellow seniors were honoured by their school before tipoff and proceeded to run up a 16-point lead early in the second half against UCLA. But the Bruins surged back with a 21-2 run to snatch the lead and drew away to win 91-75.

The Kiwi led her team with 24 points (10/16 FG, 4/6 3pt), four rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block, but Oregon were horribly out-rebounded, allowing their rivals 24 offensive boards, and sent UCLA to the free throw line 31 times.

UO are now 16-12 for the season (7-9 in Pac-10 Conference) and face a road trip to Washington State and Washington before next week’s conference tournament in Los Angeles.

In her 119th game for the Ducks, Cocks moved into a tie for sixth on their all-time games played list.

In Switzerland, former Tall Black Brendon Polyblank led defending champions Fribourg back to the Swiss League semis with an 87-69 win over Geneva in the quarterfinals.

Polyblank had 20 points as Fribourg earned a showdown with Monthey in the next stage.

New Zealand’s last hopes in the Australian NBL disappeared midweek when Gold Coast Blaze fell 78-82 at home to Perth Wildcats and were eliminated in the semifinals.

Forward Mika Vukona had six points (2/5 FG, 2/3 FT), 12 rebounds, two steals and an assist in 31 minutes for the Blaze, while fellow Tall Black Craig Bradshaw contributed 18 points (6/10 FG, 3/5 3pt, 3/4 FT), four assists and a rebound.

Meanwhile, Kiwi guard Lisa Pardon and her Bulleen Boomers will face defending champions Canberra Capitals in the Australian WNBL grand final. The Caps defeated Sydney University Flames 61-56 on Saturday to set up the master v pupil clash between former Tall Fern coaches Tom Maher and Carrie Graf.