Basketball On The Internet.

GET ready for the most horrifying outcome anyone on THIS side of the Tasman ever could have contemplated.

Those Breakers of New Zealand, that team we once condescendingly welcomed but for years quietly pencilled in for wins, are on the threshold of winning a third consecutive NBL championship.

That's right. Brrr. Need a cold shower.

The club which finished 9th and 10th and 7th in the good old days, which used to get all fearful and wanna suck on a blanky when having to cross the Tasman? The mob whose philistine fans think they play in some mythical competition called the ANBL?

They are a title away from matching Sydney Kings' historic threepeat.

It's enough to make you wanna revoke Andrej Lemanis and CJ Bruton's citizenships.

But Title Numero Trey is very much on the cards in what truthfully promises to be the closest and most exciting NBL season of all time.

With Gold Coast out, every team has improved, most notably Adelaide which already is being touted as "Blaze Lite" with its Four-Ex Coasters.

There's been a coaching change at Melbourne and Chris Anstey already has shown his shrewdness by ensuring recruit Adam Ballinger wears No.54. (That's for the player intros. Players are introduced in numerical order so fans in Adelaide still will be cheering for Balls when the coach is announced, which means those jeers should at least partially be blocked out. Good thinking CA. Such a pity Balls won't be coming though!)

Round One should be a gem but I'm leaning to New Zealand to continue where it left off by again beating Perth - will the season end as it begins? - Wollongong to stave off the Kings, Cairns to win the first Reptile Rumble (I prefer "Mango Munch") and Adelaide to open its account at home against the Tigers, who will be minus No.54. 

And happy birthday Corin Henry.

Here's how the clubs shape up.

 

ADELAIDE 36ERS

Titles: Four

Last Season: 8-20, 9th

Coach: Marty Clarke (17-39, 30%)

Returning: Daniel Johnson, Nathan Crosswell, Stephen Weigh, Mitch Creek

New: Adam Gibson (Gold Coast), Luke Schenscher (Townsville), Anthony Petrie (Gold Coast), *CJ Massingale (Knox), Jason Cadee (Gold Coast), Pero Vasiljevic (Gold Coast)

Gone: Adam Ballinger (Melbourne), Chris Warren (James Harden impersonations), Diamon Simpson (Maccabi Ashdod, Israel), Darren Ng (ret), Everard Bartlett (Perth), Nathan Herbert (Geelong, SEABL).

Who to watch: DJ and CJ will have big nights this season but out in the open court, Mitch Creek makes Scott Ninnis look ground-bound.

What the? So this was the 3-year plan all along? Gold Coast falls over after Year 2 and the 36ers reap the rewards? Nice.

Prediction: 3rd
 

CAIRNS TAIPANS

Titles: Nil

Last Season: 15-13, 5th

Coach: Aaron Fearne (45-44, 51%)

Returning: *Jamar Wilson, Alex Loughton, Dusty Rychart, Brad Hill, Aaron Grabau, Kerry Williams

New: *Shane Edwards (New Mexico, D-League), Cameron Tragardh (Melbourne), Clint Steindl (St Mary's College), Cameron Gliddon (Concordia University), Shaun Bruce (Ballarat, SEABL), Matt Andronicus (AIS)

Gone: Ian Crosswhite (Sydney), *Drew Warren (Napoli, Italy), Jeff Dowdell (inj)

Who to watch: Jamar Wilson was a game-winner last season and Cam Tragardh will fill it up. Shane Edwards has shown some great athleticism too.

What the? One of the best home crowds, best-run clubs, best coaches, an improved roster and some idiot is picking them for fifth? Has he lost his mind? Well, perhaps. It's just a reflection of how good the comp is. Plus, I am reliably informed, only clubs which added an ex-Blaze guy are genuinely in the title hunt.

Prediction: 5th

MELBOURNE TIGERS

Titles: Four

Last Season: 11-17, 6th

Coach: Chris Anstey (R)

Returning: Matt Burston, Tommy Greer, Liam Rush, Lucas Walker, Bennie Lewis

New: Adam Ballinger (Melbourne), *Kevin Braswell (Southland, NZ NBL), *Seth Scott (Los Mochis, Mexico), Chris Goulding (Gold Coast), Nate Tomlinson (Uni of Colorado)

Gone: Cameron Tragardh (Cairns), *Ron Dorsey (Reliving his Cairns glory days), *Myron Allen (Guaymas, Mexico), Daniel Dillon (Oradea, Romania)

Who to watch: Adam Ballinger, if he can stay healthy, will want an "I'll show you" year and Chris Goulding now has to stop being that great/grate player and step up to a consistent level week-in, week-out. His best is very good.

What the? In their coaching staff, the Tigers may just boast the best centre and playmaker of all time. But they have to sit, not suit.

Prediction: 7th

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS

Titles: Two

Last Season: 21-7, 1st, Won championship 2-1 from Perth

Coach: Andrej Lemanis (122-104, 54%)

Returning: *Cedric Jackson, Thomas Abercrombie, CJ Bruton, Mika Vukona, Alex Pledger, Daryl Corletto, Dillon Boucher, Leon Henry, Josh Bloxham

New: *Will Hudson (Gold Coast), Corey Webster (off suspension)

Gone: *Gary Wilkinson (Kalev, Estonia)

Who to watch: Cedric the Entertainer and Tom Abercrombie will invoke Gaze-to-Copeland lob-to-dunk memories.

What the? 6000 fans at a pre-season game, sell-outs all over in last year's run. Basketball booming in New Zealand. Thank Naismith we still beat them at Oceania. (We do still beat them at Oceania, don't we?)

Prediction: 1st
 

PERTH WILDCATS

Titles: Five

Last Season: 19-9, 2nd, Lost final 1-2 to NZ

Coach: Rob Beveridge (81-77, 51%)

Returning: *Kevin Lisch, Shawn Redhage, Damian Martin, Matt Knight, Jesse Wagstaff, Cam Tovey, Brad Robbins, Jeremiah Trueman, Greg Hire

New: Everard Bartlett (Adelaide)

Gone: Luke Nevill (Indiana, NBA), Drew Williamson (Practising threes)

Who to watch: Kevin Lisch is league MVP but Shawn Redhage can heat up in a hurry and Jesse Wagstaff is expected to step up a further rung this season.

What the? The five-time champion Wildcats are bound for their 27th consecutive playoff run and remain the benchmark of the NBL. With Captain Silverbeard at the helm, this ship is forever steady, but letting Luke Nevill go to the Addams Family reunion in Indiana may have been a mistake.

Prediction: 2nd
 

SYDNEY KINGS

Titles: Three

Last Season: 11-17, 7th

Coach: Shane Heal (22-38, 37%)

Returning: Ben Madgen, Aaron Bruce, Graeme Dann, Luke Martin

New: *Corin Henry (Naestved Fog, Denmark), *Darnell Lazare (Fort Wayne, D-League), Ian Crosswhite (Cairns), James Harvey (Gold Coast), Tom Garlepp (Gold Coast), Kevin White (Ballarat, SEABL)

Gone: Julian Khazzouh (Asseco Prokom, Poland), Anatoly Bose (BC Astana, Kazakhstan), *Jerai Grant (Enel Brindisi, Italy), *Kevin Ratzsch (Joined cast of "Lost"), Luke Cooper (Waiting), Alex Gynes (Understandably confused)

Who to watch: James Harvey is still wicked when he gets on a roll, Corin Henry might travel interstate in a duffel-bag but he can play, and Darnell Lazare can pull out that "oh my God, did you see that?" moment.

What the? This is the MightyMites team, of that there is no doubt. Ian Crosswhite is a defender and a facilitator so the Kings have little interior presence. They will mirror their coach by being a long-shot.

Prediction: 8th
 

TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES

Titles: Nil

Last Season: 15-13, 4th, lost semi-final to NZ

Coach: Paul Woolpert (16-15, 52%)

Returning: Peter Crawford, Russell Hinder, Jacob Holmes, Ben Allen, Michael Cedar, Chris Cedar, Mitch Norton, Todd Blanchfield

New: *Gary Ervin (Zadar, Croatia), *Larry Abney (Southland, NZ NBL)

Gone: *Eddie Gill (Milwaukee, NBA), Luke Schenscher (Adelaide), *Elvin Mims (Express to nowhere), *Jason Forte (Gone & forgotten), *Curtis Withers (Searching for Gabe Freeman)

Who to watch: Gary Ervin will be under the microscope after being MVP of the NBL when he last played but Ben Allen is now going to have to be The Man. He showed he can in the lead-up games but they were lead-up games. How he goes will say much about how the Crocodiles roll.

What the? The Townsville Mascot has retired?? That's the No.1 worst piece of off-season news possible. I doff my toupee to his many great antics, hilarity and his occasional lapses which were usually even funnier than his many great planned routines. Looks like Joe Blake and The Lion King have this funzone all to themselves now.

Prediction: 6th
 

WOLLONGONG HAWKS

Titles: One

Last Season: 9-19, 8th

Coach: Gordon McLeod (158-192, 45%)

Returning: Glen Saville, Oscar Forman, Rhys Martin, Larry Davidson, Tim Coenraad, David Gruber, Tyson Demos, Daniel Jackson

New: *Lance Hurdle (Springfield, D-League), *Adris Deleon (Gold Coast), Auryn MacMillan (Kilsyth, SEABL)

Gone: Mat Campbell (ret), *Ayinde Ubaka (Available yet again), *Joevan Catron (Touring his Norman Taylor One-Man Show), *Showron Glover (Chomutov, Czech Rep)

Who to watch: The Big O should be ripe for the spotlight now. It's been a long wait but worth it if he is finally consistent. Otherwise, 2Hard2Guard and Lance Hurdle will kick Sandpit sand into opponents' eyes.

What the? Is Larry Davidson sticking with the Shaggy of Scooby-Doo fame look or is the bandana truly an homage to Hulk Hogan? It's usually the latter's demeanor he displays.

Prediction: 4th

(*Denotes import)