FORMER Warwick Wildcats basketball coach Jeff Clark is one of two assistant coaches to new Toowoomba Mountaineers coach Pop Dickerson.

Dickerson has taken over the role as Mountaineers coach now that Academy Basketball is affiliated with Basketball Queensland.

Clark said the affiliation meant all players on the Downs were able to work together, instead of being rivals.

The 2011 Mountaineers team is expected to include Warwick player Michael McDaniel.

Dickerson is a Toowoomba basketball legend and will coach a team for which he starred at the height of his career.

The Warwick-based assistant coach has no doubts about the size of the task ahead.

“The Mountaineers have gone two seasons without recording a win, a losing streak of 36 games since their last victory in August, 2008,” Clark said.

“If anyone can change this, it would have to be Pop.”

Clark said the role as one of two assistant coaches was a rare opportunity for him.

“Pop’s record speaks for itself. He is the all-time leading point’s scorer for the Queensland Basketball League.

“In fact, he led them to back-to-back premierships in 1990 and 1991; they have not made the finals since.”

Clark, who coached Warwick to regional basketball league success in 2008, is the only coach in five seasons of the league to record a victory against Dickerson’s Highfields team.

“It will certainly be great to work with him instead of against him, there is so much you can learn from someone with this much experience.”

“Pop is not the sort of person who accepts losses lightly, and he will do everything he can to make sure that his team is competitive.

“We have already planned a team that should not only win a few games, but potentially could push for play-off contention.

“He has to make changes. If you keep doing the same things, you should expect the same results. And 36 games without winning is not the sort of thing that you want to keep doing. Michael McDaniel is also expected to be a big part of our plans this season which should increase Warwick interest in the team.”

As part of the lead-up to the season opener in April, coach Dickerson is planning two warm-up games in Warwick, which should give locals a great opportunity to see some state-level teams competing in the town.

Clark will travel to Toowoomba twice a week for training and then travel to all regions of the state, including Cairns, for games anytime from Friday night to Sunday afternoon.

Article - Warick Daily News - 6th January 2011