Basketball On The Internet.

LOVE to pose the question: "Who saw that coming?" but I'd get a call from Townsville Fire coach Chris Lucas.

The WNBL championship winner and his NBL counterpart Shawn Dennis have grown close and yesterday Lucas told me in no uncertain terms he believed the Crocs would "play their hearts out tonight".

Whether Townsville's ultimate 90-76 win in the north's popular "Reptile Rumble" had to do with the team bonding as a unit, or whether they were as one to "win it for Brian (Conklin)" doesn't really matter.

The boys made the Crocs Board look like geniuses as they again produced the type of performance which stunned United in Melbourne, with an all-the-way victory.

A couple of plays stood out for me, one in particular when Clint Steindl, beaten backdoor, turned, dived and, horizontally outstretched, managed to not only get his hand to the pass, but batted it to a teammate as he hit the floor.

It resulted in a basket and while not quite upto the Damian Martin fast break chasedown, shot block and horizontal leap to save the ball to a teammate which the Perth captain pulled off in Adelaide a couple of years ago, it definitely sent a massive message the Crocs were here to play.

WE ARE AS ONE: The Crocodiles were awesome last night.

So did the way Jordair Jett started the game, dominating as he has never previously, splitting a double team, weaving through traffic, making things happen.

The baseline inbounds pass off a back-turned Stephen Weigh's butt for a step-in and easy basket was Jett at his best, en route to a 21-point first-half in a career-high 26-point game.

Mitch Young (10 and 13)  and Nick Kay (16 and 12) both produced points-rebounds double-doubles, Mitch Norton's 10 points from five shots, plus six assists efficiency personified.

Steindl was great at all the right times, Townsville with an unprecedented 31-9 first quarter, then a 29-point lead at one stage as Cairns looked every inch the Washington Generals to Dennis' Harlem Globetrotters.

That was even before Steindl (above) threw this one down, the cream on the cake, the icing on the pudding, the strawberry on top of the sundae, the exclamation point on this unfinished masterpiece.

There's a reason Townsville's Crocodiles are most people's favourite second team. If you want to know what that reason is, tune in to Fox and catch the replay again of last night's victory.

EARLIER, after a tight game with varying degrees of officiating efficiency, New Zealand produced a 30-14 final period to turn its season-series victory over arch rival Perth into a 99-78 rout.

Clouded by the aftermath which revealed Nathan Jawai had been racially villified by a Breakers supporter - we do still have a few morons like this, sadly, don't we? - was the fact Corey Webster lit it up late and Tom Abercrombie continued to remind many of us why long ago we had him tagged for an NBA future.

Charles Jackson had his moments, though he must have been wearing skates for the amount of times he hit the floor. Then again, I guess after three games against Perth, he's a quick study. Live by the flop. Die by the flop.

Tonight: MELBOURNE has a chance to show its 93-81 home win over Illawarra was no fluke when it hits Wollongong to face the Hawks. Chris Goulding is overdue a big shooting night in what should be an exciting fixture for lovers of free-flowing, high-scoring basketball. It's official Jarrad Weeks is staying on with the Hawks and Rhys Martin is in. They have a lot going for them right now, which is why I'm expecting a victory. But Melbourne truly is overdue to remind us why people thought it invincible in the days of its 9-0 run.

Last night: NZ BREAKERS 99 (Abercrombie 23, Webster 21, Ch Jackson 19, Pledger, Vukona 11; Vukona, Ch Jackson 12 rebs; Ce Jackson 9 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 78 (Beal 23, Prather 12, Jawai, Knight 11; Knight 12 rebs; Beal 6 assts) at North Shore Events Centre. TOWNSVILE CROCODILES 90 (Jett 26, Kay 16, Steindl 13, Norton, Young 10; Young 13 rebs; Norton 6 assts) d CAIRNS TAIPANS 76 (Craig 18, Worthington 14, Starks 11; Craig 7 rebs; Starks 3 assts) at The Swamp, Townsville.

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DJ to lift for Perth: http://bit.ly/1NIV6mO