Basketball On The Internet.

THAT has to be one of the best rounds in recent memory, giving us both pathos and the pathetic, drama and humour (but more about Aaron Bruce later) and courage under fire in almost equal measure.

It started out exceptionally well with 7,489 Breaker-Breaker good buddies showing up to support New Zealand as it dacked Townsville at Vector, followed by 11,562 wild cats roaring at Perth Arena and getting an absolute thriller.

TV certainly got that one right.

Then Wollongong finally broke the seqeuence of away teams winning all the recent Hawks-Taipans clashes by coming from 16 down during the third period to win by 14.

Amazing.

And then along came the much-awaited Melbourne-Sydney game live on Channel 10 nationwide and what a gem.

Now I know a lot of Tigers' fans are irate about the officiating, the dives and, probably even moreso today with their import Seth Scott formally charged for striking Ben Madgen.

But can I just say that from a no-axe-to-grind neutral point-of-view, it was such a great advertisement for our sport.

Ask me if the officiating is keeping abreast of the league and my answer will be an unqualified "no" but that won't deter the free-to-air TV viewer as much as it impacts the basketball purist.

And if we want our game to grow again, then the uninitiated are as important as the purists.

So let's go to the videotape.

First, Chris Goulding swings his arms with the ball and clashes very mildly with Aaron Bruce. He appears to connect below Bruce's chin but, shockingly (LOL) Aaron pauses, realises, and goes to ground clutching his forehead?

Say what?

Watched it again a few times and wanting to give the Horsham Hoopster the benefit of the doubt, for a moment one angle suggested maybe Graeme Dann's hand had actually made contact with Bruce's head. Other angles suggested nothing of the sort.

So there you go. Aaron Bruce channels his inner Mick Pennisi and the referees buy in, giving Goulding an unsportsmanlike for nothing. (In case you are wondering about the Pennisi reference, and if so you may be an orphan on that, check it out once more to see where Aaron was heading http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jo3t88IKKQ and enjoy its preposterousness. Even Paul Rees would be ashamed.)

So in the ensuing confusion, a crowd of heated players gathers, Madgen unnecessarily nudges into Scott walking past him and the Tigers' import reacts and flays what looks like a backhanded flip to the back of Benny's head.

Time for more grappling and such unkind words before the refs once again show they are the true headless chooks and toss Scott.

None of this surprises me. And it should not surprise you. Let's recap Week One - no, let's recap Game One of the PSST, to go back even further.

The opening game of the PreSeaSon Tournament sees Kings coach Shane Heal get tossed by a ref for challenging a call. Over-reaction and ridiculous.

Red flag already.

Game one of the 36ers-Tigers season at Adelaide Arena where Anthony Petrie and Goulding - former Gold Coast teammates and buddies - get into a minor tangle showing their new teams they are committed to the new cause.

Watch that video again and as they whirl into full view of each other - and realise who they are grappling with - they break into smiles! But Scott can't see that, misreads it, tackles Petrie to the floor, down goes a pack and it looks far worse than it ever was.

Petrie and Goulding get tossed.

Graeme Dann's $750 fine for "recklessly making contact with his left hand to (Russell) Hinder's face'' again is an absurdity and clearly a charge by the light-headed brigade.

Eight days back at Adelaide Arena, Perth guard Brad Robbins bravely lines up Adam Gibson from behind and throws a "screen" into him which is little more than a full-on footy bump. If that is Jason Cadee he is doing that to, the kid is out a month with busted ribs, if not worse.

But Robbo doesn't even warrant an unsportsmanlike foul!

Consistency?

In Perth, Cam Tovey grabs Gibbo around the head and flings him to the floor.

Nice.

Unsportsmanlike?

Not even that.

So who knows what the heck our men in black-AND-white are going to call when they can't tell if something is black or white?

And why now should we be surprised at their latest bungling when the evidence was there in the first game of the pre-season?

Who knew Ray Hunt's retirement would have such an impact?

SO Seth is charged with "striking - other"?

What does that mean? Ben Madgen is now "other"?

Are we sure Scott wasn't "recklessly making contact with his right hand to the back of Ben Other's head"? I like that charge much better.

UPSHOT? Melbourne loses its focus, Sydney shows it IS in the playoff mix and we conclude a terrific round with some great television, Jonny Flynn's behind-the-back shake-and-bake spin-to-the-hoop ... and miss ... notwithstanding. 

 

REVIEWS

Lightning v Rangers (W)

Dandenong opened with a 29-16 first quarter, shooting at 60% to 21% with 11 points delivered by its bench.

It never really got much better for Adelaide and the 88-79 final scoreline truly flattered the home team because Dandy was up 20 before it finally cleared its bench, mindful of another road game to come in Perth.

Adelaide bitched and moaned so much I had to do a double-take to see if it was the Flames, the officiating truly ponderous but Kathleen MacLeod wondrous with 17 points, 10 assists.

Did not see an on-court Rangers weakness, to be honest. Even Krista Phillips got through unscathed despite, I hear, a slight headache.

Breakers v Crocodiles (M)

When New Zealand players are stopping to give spectators a peck after landing in the stands chasing an errant ball, you know contempt for Townsville has reached a new low.

It was 17-17 at one stage in the first, but 31-21 by the end of it. Then came the 19-8 quarter and New Zealand was on route to its 93-63 rout.

Cedric had 10 and 11, Alex Pledger had his career-best 18 points on 8-of-11 (and he can still also lift heavy things) and DC marvelled with 4-of-5 triples. When Corletto is in that frame of mind, just stand aside and let the hijinks ensue.

The word is the Crocs were nobbled from the start, having to wear orange socks.

Flames v Spirit (W)

The time has come. As the bus of non-believers of which I have been both a passenger and driver, rounded the corner of this round, I found enlightenment and alighted, permanently.

Yes, I have found the Spirit and it is within me.

Yay though we walk through the Shadow of Lauren Jackson, the Spirit is alive, the Spirit is replenished and I am a true believer.

I bow at the feet of Bernie the Sensei, of Kristi the Gatekeeper and of Gab the Guardian.

Bendigo is for real and its 91-76 win as the Spirit disciples walked through the Flames in Sydney only further proved it.

Now there is Kelsey Griffin too, and Renae Camino as well.

Let me hear you chant: "Om. Om. The Spirit is divine."

Meanwhile, Sydney coach Karen Dalton was seen post-game in a late coffee brainstorm, wondering who she could recruit. 

Wildcats v 36ers (M)

Perth has definitely lost its way of late.

Coach Rob Beveridge (the artist formerly known as Captain Silverbeard, now Captain No-Beard) says his team has misplaced its swagger and it is a good call.

That self-assuredness, self-confidence or even arrogance if you like of the Perth team which stormed to the PSST title, then short-sheeted the Breakers in New Zealand, is no-where to be found. 

The Wildcats could not score from two feet when the chips were down while Adelaide grew in stature and was keen to silence the 12,000-minus change-crowd and did it 69-65.

DJ was on song for 21 and 15, Anthony Petrie was extremely efficient, Gibbo handcuffed Kevin Lisch and Jason Cadee hit a three, then finished the game with two ice-cool free throws to put this one away.

Adelaide is 5-3 now and has won the boards in its five wins, lost them in its three losses.

That must mean something.

Thunder v Boomers (W)

Kristen Veal ran out for game 300 but Bulleen jogged out with an 85-76 win over Logan, despite the best efforts of Thunder import Laurie Koehn.

The WNBA star had 6-of-12 threes - slightly better than Bulleen's 5-of-13 - but overall the Thunder was 11-of-33 from outside the arc.

Natalie Taylor was the worst offender with 1-of-9 Scud misfires, the Boomers going to Elyse Penaluna (24 and 8), Tess Madgen (20 and seven assists) and Rachel Jarry (14 points) to get their season back on the right track.

Hawks v Taipans (M)

Cairns is slowly watching its aspirations slipping away and losing at the Sandpit to Wollongong 73-59 is another match it will lament.

If you have your lead out to 47-31 during the third quarter, you're travelling along pretty well. That is, if you are a club other than Cairns.

The Taipans' ability to go off the boil is becoming almost legendary. Then again, when Adris Deleon gets the Hawks flying, they can be near-impossible to stop. Just ask Perth. Or Adelaide.  

A 14-0 Wollongong run changes the game's complexion but from there, the Taipans come motoring home with a seven-point final period.

Seven.

Alex Loughton was quite the dominator with the first five points of that withering run home over the final 10 minutes.

Meanwhile Wollongong had a host of winners, including Oscar Forman with 5-of-8 threes.

You know, no less a luminary than 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Ken Cole told me after coaching Ossie at the High Stakes Hoops that he had everything necessary to make it as a superstar EXCEPT his self-belief to do it.

"He's got size, he's got athleticism, he can shoot, he can board, he can run, he can jump, he can defend, he's smart, he has all the tools to dominate this league," Cole told me.

All he's ever been missing is Joe Ingles' mindset.

Fire v Boomers (W)

Townsville's new import - what an amazing crop we have this season, easily the best in WNBL history - Jessica Adair, 25, 193cm and last with Minnesota Lynx, has touched down so the Fire is looking forward with confidence.

But she did not play in this one.

Bulleen consequently made it a 2-0 Queensland sweep 70-64 in Townsville as Penaluna again put up good numbers with 13 and 9.

Kayla Standish continues to impress for Townsville and Jess Foley had 17 points in this, but at 3-5 the Fire are not out of this by any means.

Bulleen pushed itself up to 5-5 with this double and has to be considered back in the race, so why not Townsville, which has two games in hand?

Waves v Rangers (W)

A 12-0 start by Dandenong which then translated into a 28-10 first quarter set the tone for this comfortable 85-61 win over West Coast.

West Coast needed Nic Natainui to stop the Rangers rampage, new import Monica Wright - who looked slick in her first few possessions against Adelaide - turning it on in her second game.

Wright went for 21 points and is yet another great import in our league.

Not than Dandenong was short of quality players. It isn't.

But as much as I have found the Spirit within me, Dandenong will only lose the championship from here if it somehow implodes.

It has so many great players that keeping them happy might be coach Mark Wright's biggest challenge.

MacLeod, Blicavs and Cumming did the damage in Adelaide, Wright, Tegan Cunningham and Krista Phillips - despite suffering with some severe split ends - did it in Perth.

Yeah. That's right. I didn't even mention Jenna O'Hea. (Is 10 assists worth mentioning?)

Tigers v Kings (M)

At the risk of becoming even more unpopular with Melbourne Tigers fans, I really enjoyed this game.

Yes, the officiating was terrible and Seth Scott paid a very dear price for taking a swipe at Ben Other, Sydney escaping with a hard-earnt, well-constructed 72-67 victory.

But after the appalling call against Chris Goulding and the Aaron Bruce A-League flop, then the Scott snot, Melbourne completely lost its way.

Bruce and Other made the unsportsmanlike free throws before Lucas Walker suddenly also lost his mind and tried a Crosswhite coathanger.

Even Jonny Flynn thought a quick diving lesson might be in order as the Tigers lost focus for just long enough to put the ball-game out of their reach. 

The fightback to get within four was valiant but with Other going off for a game-high 26 points and leading the Kings, that five minutes of Tigers composure-loss was more than enough to determine this outcome.

A quarter way through the season, Sydney is every bit more enticing a playoff prospect today than Melbourne, Cairns or Townsville.  

Capitals v Spirit (W)

Buoyed by breaking Bendigo's unbeaten streak last week in Bendigo, Canberra started strongly for this fixture at LJ Stadium in Albury.

But once the Spirit started rolling, they quickly ate up the Caps' lead and shored up their hold on first place with an 80-71 victory.

Import Kelsey Griffin had 20 points at 80% - Player of the Week anyone? - as Bendigo worked to the lead by the last break, then brought it home.

Note to self: never doubt this team again.

 

BEEF of the WEEK

NOT sure too many outside the officiating fraternity would disagree but the clear inability of our referees this season to differentiate between what is real and what isn't - flop or no flop, stage or genuine? etc - is now alarming.

They got a lot wrong in the three free-to-air televised games (including ABC's WNBL game between Dandenong and Adelaide), over-reacting inappropriately and under-reacting inappropriately.

If we can all see it, can it be that hard?

Don't get me wrong. Officiating basketball is extremely tough and largely thankless.

But some of this stuff just shouldn't be that difficult for paid professionals.

The Big Winners/Losers

THIS is a toughie but I'm settling on Adelaide being the week's biggest winner, narrowly from Sydney and Wollongong. Winning in Perth under the circumstances was extra special. How special?

The 36ers are organising a supporters trip to Perth on Friday, February 8 when they meet at The Jungle again! If you are interested, you will fly with a group of passionate 36ers on QANTAS and stay at the Ibis Hotel, just walking distance from Perth Arena. The club has put together a great package which includes your seat to the game, T-shirt and transfers from the airport. All this for only $845.00 per person (twin share). For all the details contact Paul at the club on 08 83450900 or email him at paul@adelaide36ers.com or email me if you think this gratuitous plug was misplaced!

The biggest loser again is a toughie because if the 36ers were the biggest winners, then, by definition, the Wildcats should be at the other extreme, falling out of the top four in the process. But really, Melbourne blew it at home, and now may lose Seth Scott to boost. Hmm, no, Cairns is the biggest loser. Up 16 and losing by 14, a 30-point turnaround which further rocked the Taipans' season. Sorry but they are running low on credibility.

BENDIGO or Bulleen were the WNBL's biggest winners of the round and I think the Spirit have to be slightly out front. Not only did they beat Sydney in Sydney but also Canberra in Albury at Lauren Jackson Stadium - two physical and emotional road successes.

Sydney once again is the WNBL's big loser of the round, continuing to drop games at home, and now they go on the road. I am glad though to see the Flames are supporting Movember though. I'm not sure if it is the coaching staff endeavoring to grow moustaches but good luck to them regardless.

 

PS

ADELAIDE 36ers icon Brett Maher, who before the NBL season tipped-off said the 2012-13 line-up was the best Adelaide team since the 1998-99 champion, has amended that again to the 1990 North Rockets WNBL champions.