JOHN Triscari always admired Cockburn from afar and now is proud to coach the Lady Cougars and he couldn’t speak more highly of star import Candace Williams as he continues to try and book in a playoff berth in his first season in charge.

Triscari has returned to coach in the SBL this season replacing playing-coach Deanna Smith who joined the Perry Lakes Hawks for 2016. After previous stints with the Mandurah Magic and Rockingham, he is enjoying being back in the league after great success with wheelchair basketball.

He had a great run coaching the Perth Western Stars culminating in a 2013 WNWBL championship and with the women's national team, the Gliders, who won silver at the London Paralympic Games in 2012.

Cougars enjoy double win over Slammers on Friday 

But being away from home so often was taking its toll so Triscari stepped away from the Australian job and now to be back in the SBL in charge of the Lady Cougars is something he is greatly enjoying.

He admits to always having an urge to be part of the Cougars when coaching against them and to be continuing to coach women is something he is enjoying as well as Cockburn gears up for games against the Perry Lakes Hawks, Mandurah Magic and Joondalup Wolves with a playoff berth at stake.

"I don’t know how many games I've coached in the league, I keep quoting about 300, but way back when I coached Rockingham I was always super impressed by Cockburn and I've always wanted to be here," Triscari said.

"They had character and look around the venue and there are photos of past players. I remember the days of Mike Forsyth, Troy Clarke and so on. It's a privilege to be here. I never thought I would be back coaching able-bodied basketball but I'm really enjoying it.

"I'm enjoying it because I'm not away from home as much. When I was coaching the Australian team every month I was away. And I'm enjoying coaching the women. I seem to get through to them a lot better than I do with men for whatever reason. They seem a little bit more understanding I suppose.

"My problem is I'm not tolerant with the men. They should know better and if they don’t do it then they need to be told, I'm not patient enough. Women need a slightly more gentle approach, you can't rant and rave, and yell and scream all the time. I've got three daughters which has helped."

Replacing Smith as a player and coach was never going to be easy for the Cougars, but the performances of import Candace Williams has been remarkable after she joined the team ahead of their fifth game of the season.

Ever since she has put herself into MVP calculations averaging 29.5 points, 16.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game while delivering a host of match-winning performances.

Triscari couldn’t be happier with her addition and has been surprised some WNBL clubs haven’t come calling.

"What a pick up hey. I consider her to be the best import in the league and that's the way she plays so tough. She could probably pick up her defence a little bit, but offensively she is just very good," he said.

"I think she could play the level above but the problem she has is that she's a little short for the position she plays in our national league, but in Europe that's what they want.

"They want a player of her ability in that that swing role. I have been a bit surprised that someone in the Australian league hasn’t rung or asked for footage or anything, she is definitely good enough."

The Cougars' other import Cherridy Thornton has also had a good impact providing an inside presence despite a nagging foot injury. Triscari would like her to realise a little more when she is getting double and triple-teamed.

"She limps around at training and limps around all week but she seems to get through a game OK. The foot has been X-rayed and it's just got a build up of fluid and we just have to manage it," he said.

"Her problem is that she doesn’t recognise at times that she has three players on her and she will go one-on-three. Nobody can do that in this league so she will learn from that and just has to find a way to get the other girls involved when that happens."

The Cougars currently sit in ninth position with an 8-11 record to be locked in a battle with the 8-10 Kalamunda Eastern Suns, 8-10 Perth Redbacks and 7-12 Stirling Senators over the seventh and eighth spots for the playoffs.

Cockburn finishes the season at home to the Perry Lakes Hawks this Friday before playing the Mandurah Magic in Rockingham and Joondalup Wolves also at Wally Hagan Stadium.

Given they are three of the top five teams at present, that's a tough road for the Cougars but at least Triscari knows they will enter the playoffs in good form if they are to make it.

"We played Rockingham last week and we were within 10 points of them and I know talking to Ryan Petrik afterwards that we didn’t play like that against the Hawks," Triscari said.

"He was right and we scouted Rockingham really well and made some changes, and it's just those one minute lapses of concentration that allows them to score 10 points.

"You can't do that against the top sides and I'm looking forward to pitting my wits against Craig Friday in particular and we'll see what happens."

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin