Basketball On The Internet.

ROUND 9 of the NBL season was a diamond, with so many quality performances and astonishing results throwing up its share of candidates for our coveted Team of the Week accolade. Tasmania setting records, South East back in the winner's circle, Brisbane with two tight wins - there was a lot to love.

And let's not forget Cairns heading into the Mecca of Australian basketball - Melbourne - and giving the in-form league-leaders a go-to-whoa whacking!

But as good as so many teams looked at times across the round - and splitting two games is an eliminator from Team of the Week contention - the stand-outs clearly were those Wildcats of Perth.

In the battle for supremacy and the early title of Melbourne's most likely championship opponent, Perth grabbed champion Sydney by the scruff of the neck and eventually turned a thriller into a killer.

Not willing to jump on the Wildcats bandwagon considering some of the matches in their winning streak were not as impressive as many pretended, this was the win which put doubts to rest.

Since adjusting his starting group to Tai Webster, Bryce Cotton, Hyrum Harris, Kristian Doolitte and Keanu Pinder, shortening his rotation and finally recognising the value veteran Jesse Wagstaff brings, coach John Rillie has converted Perth into a contender.

The 114-105 win over the Kings came despite Sydney owning the edge through the first half and until early in the third quarter when Cotton's wizardry and Wagstaff's wisdom set up a 33-26 period, and victory.

The 31-22 final quarter in a 64-48 half allowed Red Army fans to fully savour Cotton's regular season career and NBL individual season high of 41 points (with 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals), Keanu Pinder's 18-point, 9-rebound, 5-assists, 2-blocks contribution, plus Alex Sarr and Wagstaff combining for 29 points off the bench.

Sydney shrivelled in the wake of the onslaught, leaving Jonah Bolden (28 points, 7-of-8 threes) seated on the bench as Perth pounded out crunch time.

Further elevating the win was the fact Doolittle rolled his ankle early but played on, though naturally not as effective as he has been during this winning streak.

If Perth stays with this formula, then yes, we can all agree it is in the title conversation. As far as our Team of the Week? That's a lay down misere.

Overwhelmingly the Adelaide 36ers qualified as our Team of the Weak as Pi$$, surrendering the first nine points to the Breakers in Christchurch and still unable to muster much after halftime when the depleted Breakers were now also down exiled coach Mody Maor.

Their back-up performance against Tasmania in Hobart was as atrocious as any in the club's storied 41-year history, a 23-point FIRST HALF, 59 points for the game in a 35-point JackJumpers' fiesta.

To then turn around and blame poor scheduling was even more of a joke than their pathetic performance and does not explain players muttering and disengaged on the bench, or listless and disinterested on the court.

Word spreads quickly and a couple of players it seems already have their agents searching new pastures for 2024-25 before their own stock continues to plummet in this ramshackle and no accountability substitute for a ball club. Yeah, an early wake-up call definitely compromises your ability to dive on a loose ball.

Is anyone there even remotely in touch with reality? What a dramatic fall from grace. 

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 9  Perth Wildcats
Round 8  Adelaide 36ers
Round 7  Melbourne United
Round 6  Perth Wildcats
Round 5  Brisbane Bullets
Round 4  South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 3  Melbourne United
Round 2  Tasmania JackJumpers
Round 1  Sydney Kings

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEAK AS PI$$
Round 9  Adelaide 36ers
Round 8  Brisbane Bullets
Round 7  New Zealand Breakers
Round 6  Adelaide 36ers
Round 5  No Nominees
Round 4  Perth Wildcats
Round 3  Illawarra Hawks
Round 2  No Nominees
Round 1  No Nominees