Basketball On The Internet.

WELL, that took me back! What an unbelievable NBL win last night by Townsville over Adelaide, followed by an exceptional shooting display from Jermaine Beal.

Firstly, the Crocs were astounding in never giving up, even down 81-96 with four minutes to go. Big shots by Clint Steindl, then Mirko Djeric had the fans at the Swamp roaring.

Even when Jerome Randle sank two pressure free throws with 12 seconds left for a 100-96 36ers' lead, the game appeared safe.

But Djeric forced a Sixers' time-out when he buried another triple with 6.5 seconds left for 99-100.

Adam Gibson had a brain freeze, throwing an inbounds pass crosscourt to the team's smallest player in Randle (175cm), who Crocs coach Shawn Dennis now had Steindl guarding.

Steindl is 200cm, had no trouble picking off the pass, feeding it on Nicholas Kay for the match-winning dunk. It was understandable pandemonium at the Swamp.

Asked if he'd seen anything like that before, 36ers coach Joey Wright said yes, not long ago.

In fact it was during the 2013-14 season when then-36ers import Gary Ervin (below) made a last-gasp steal to lay up the winner against the Breakers in New Zealand.

That same season, Chris Goulding went off for a 50-point game and again last night's events also revisited that, with Beal blowing United off the Perth Arena floor with a 40-point explosion.

Beal stroked 10 threes, Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson even drawing up a baseline play to complete the first half which saw the ball get to Beal in time to release a magic long three which never looked anything but net.

That gave him 18 points for the period and Perth 34, the highest second quarter score by any NBL team this season.

Beal continued into the third period, making three after three, until he reached 10 made, the 21st time that has happened in NBL history.

It was breath-taking stuff, in a breath-taking night of NBL ball. 

Tonight: EVEN with their new import, the Kings will struggle across the Tasman because the Breakers now have first place in sight. At 9-5, behind Perth 11-5 and Melbourne 11-5, New Zealand has two games in hand and can steadily move past its rivals, losing to Sydney not really an option.

THE return of Matt Burston will make a big difference to the Taipans at home in Cairns tonight where they need a 19-point win to pinch the season-series from Illawarra. The Hawks are advancing on a higher finish and if anyone in the four looks vulnerable, it's Melbourne. But which team outside the quartet can catch United? If Cairns believes it possible, tonight it's a must-win. Got to admit, if I'm taking a bet, I'm leaning more now toward Illawarra.

Last night; TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES 101 (Jett 21, Kay 19, Steindl 15, Djeric 12, Norton 11, Samhan 10; Kay 7 rebs; Jett 5 assts) d ADELAIDE 36ERS 100 (Randle 28, Johnson 21, Petrie 17, Creek 14; Petrie, Johnson 9 rebs; Randle 7 assts) at The Swamp, Townsville. PERTH WILDCATS 113 (Beal 40, Prather 20, Knight 14, Jervis 11; Knight 9 rebs; Beal 7 assts) d MELBOURNE UNITED 83 (Kickert 23, Warrick, Holt 15, Goulding 13; Blanchfield 9 rebs; Holt 4 assts) at The Jungle, Perth Arena.

Online

How Crocs won: http://bit.ly/1TEfFiz