AUCKLAND (2015 FIBA Oceania Women's Championship) - Micaela Cocks has been with the New Zealand Tall Ferns for the good times, and the bad.

The good include the trip to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and the bad was the failure to reach the 2012 Games in London.

The Kiwis, following a 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship defeat to Australia, had another opportunity to make it to Britain three years ago but they did not claim one of the places on offer at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ankara, Turkey.

Even with the setbacks, though, every experience gained with the Tall Ferns is invaluable for Cocks.

There is nothing better than playing for your country. - Cocks

"I love New Zealand it is my home and I am proud to play for them whenever I can," she said to FIBA.com.

Cocks and the Tall Ferns will once again face their great rivals, the Australia Opals, in a two-game FIBA Oceania Championship series in August with the winners advancing to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

New Zealand have never beaten the Australians in a FIBA Oceania Women's Championship, which dates back to 1974.

The Opals are No. 2 in the FIBA bwin Ranking Women and captured the world title in 2006.

The Tall Ferns did show plenty of grit and determination when they faced their foes in 2013.

While they will be favorites this summer, the Opals are not unbeatable.

How do the Tall Ferns beat their nemesis and qualify for the Olympics?

Cocks says she and her teammates must play excellent defense and crash the defensive boards like their lives depend on it.

"Limiting the Opals scoring to a score we can beat and not allowing them to get offensive rebounds, leading to second chance points," she explained.

Something that gives New Zealand additional cause for hope is that some of their players compete in Australia's WNBL.

Cocks and fellow Tall Fern Jillian Harmon played for Townsville and helped the Fire capture the title this past season.

"It is very important to be playing at a high level so we can bring experience to the international competitions that we need to compete in to make it to events such as Olympics," she said of the WNBL.

Cocks' 2014-15 campaign with the Fire is one that she will never forget.

"It was a very rewarding feeling winning the championship, the club, town, fans, support staff, coaches and player have put a huge amount of effort in to being the best and we did it," she said.

"It was a very special season because it was [Rachel] Flanny's last season before retiring. The WNBL is one of the top leagues in the world.

"Not only does Australia produce local talented players, more and more elite players from other countries are coming down under to play, making it very competitive."

Now the focus is all on the Tall Ferns.

"We have ups and downs throughout the years and by that, I mean with funding," Cocks said.

"I am not exactly sure how the funding scheme works, but it is disappointing at times as it limits our potential to be at our best.

"[New Zealand Tall Ferns head coach] Kennedy [Kereama] has done a great job coming in and doing the best he can with limited funding and resources.

"We have had some great wins against teams such as China and looking to improve our performances against European style teams which again comes down to preparation and getting over there to play practice games."

What Cocks and her teammates are thinking about right now is putting a competitive team on the floor when they go up against Australia.

"Beating the Opals to qualify [for the Olympics] is the mindset," Cocks said.

FIBA