Basketball On The Internet.

PERTH Wildcats are the LA Lakers of the NBL. Why would I say such a preposterous thing?

Extremely successful, they continued on their way against our Portland Trail Blazers - the Wollongong Hawks - to annexe their third straight preseason title by winning the final 72-60 at Dandenong.

That makes six NBL titles and three of the prestigious exhibition season titles in succession - the 2010 Top End Challenge, the 2011 Sunshine State Challenge and the 2012 Challenge to find a better name than NBL PreSeaSon Tournament, or PSST, as we might say in trying to get the public's attention.

By the way, I recall the Wildcats winning a K-Mart Classic in about 1987 too under Cal Bruton. I wonder how many other preseason trophies Perth actually has?

There can be no doubt they are the most successful club out-of-season now as well as in-season.

SHAWN Redhage won the PSST Most Valuable Player award and I believe I saw Ray Borner storming out of the venue.

(But it might have been Ray Tomlinson.)

Redhage's on-court persona takes me back to my Lakers analogy, this time as our "Kobe Bryant".

Whoa. Don't jump on me for losing my mind. Shawn is like Kobe inasmuch as you have to admire and respect what he can do. But he is just damned annoying to fans of other teams.

By the same token, who wouldn't want Kobe on their team, right?

IT was a helluva good final until some Hawks supporters, including one who cannot spell, pointed out someone wearing #8 for Perth had just hit a couple of threes to break it open.

I immediately sprung into action, utilising the extensive research and resources of The Steve Carfino Institute of Commentary Excellence to ascertain the player's name was, in fact, Clint Eastwood... a.k.a The Man With No Name.

Later, a cursory check of the stats sheet actually revealed he was Gavin Field, who is, in fact, the son of singer Billy Field. (OK, that may not be 100% accurate, but cant help myself, bad habits...)

WHILE the WNBL section of the PSST continues, having had all of our elite national league teams competing under one roof has given our sport back its basketball feel.

By that I mean, it was like the good old days of tournament play and not so much as it is today, where a night at the basketball is more about entertainment.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. But it has been terrific to have that carnival atmosphere of teams everywhere, players of many varied uniforms chatting and catching up - the sense of "one community" has been very evident.

Friday night in particular was memorable, with not only the NBL and WNBL teams all under one roof but also so many junior grand finals being contested on courts everywhere at Dandy.

Having mums, dads and siblings gawking at our elite playing under the same roof as their kids was pretty special.

IN case you do not have nbl.com.au, wnbl.com.au or adelaidenow.com.au among your "favorites", Day 3's results went a little like this.

The Kings decided giving up 54 points in the first half was enough, Corin Henry got jiggy with it and they upset the Breakers by seven while across the foyer, Townsville also salvaged its PSST by belting Melbourne.

The 36ers put on a 3-point clinic against the Taipans while also successfully experimenting with a new concept called defence.

Embarrassed by Bendigo earlier, the Fire broke China, Bulleen capped Canberra, Lightning scaled the Dandenongs, the Waves dumped Logan and the Spirit fanned the Flames out of contention.

WHO was missing?

Gameboy James Harvey sat out Sydney's match with New Zealand, which had Mika Vukona and Tom Abercrombie again looking sheepish on the sidelines.

The Tigers sat out Adam Ballinger, Matt Burston and Liam Rush against Townsville.

Adelaide only played Luke Schenscher briefly and Cairns did not suit Jamar Wilson.

In the final, Perth sat Kevin Lisch and let's not forget, played the PSST without Brad Robbins altogether.

The Hawks had Larry Davidson and Lance Hurdle dressed in civilian attire.

WHAT did we learn?

1) That Everard Bartlett may be one of the NBL's most under-rated players and that he and Jeremiah Trueman speak in a strange dialect of their own.

2) When the shot-clock is down to its final ticks, get the ball to Cam Tragardh and have no fear. You will never have a shot-clock violation.

3) That the cut-back in the playing of loud unnecessary music during the men's final (and in most Court 1 games for that matter) actually enhanced the experience, not disminished it.

4) That Adelaide actually CAN play defence and box out when it is a focus.

5) That Townsville recognised five and nine-point quarters in Day 2's loss to Wollongong was not the way to go offensively and executed brilliantly in a 26-point opening period against Melbourne.

6) That Tigers forward Seth Scott also can play and that many are very quick to harshly judge imports. Scott had 24 points and 21 rebounds against the Crocs, though seven turnovers and 36 per cent shooting also cannot be ignored. But Scott's 21 boards is the most in a preseason game since Ray Borner hauled down 25 in a game in 1988. Apparently it was one of the reasons the preseason MVP medal was named after him.

7) That Corin Henry is 5-11 tall in much the same way I am 6-9.

8) That it would be great to have jumpballs reintroduced into the NBL. It's our competition after all and if people want it, why not do it? Just a thought if the NBLCA is short of agenda items for its next meeting.

9) That Seth Scott's three blocks against the Crocs was the most in a preseason game since Ray Borner had eight in a game in 1990. Apparently it was one of the reasons the preseason MVP medal was named after him.

10) That referees can experience remorse, that is if rumors the umpire who unnecessarily tossed Kings coach Shane Heal out of the opening night's game apologised to him about it later, are true.

11) That Daniel Johnson's Day 1 points haul of 32 was the most in a preseason game by anyone taller than 6-10 since Ray Borner shot 36 in a game in 1989. Apparently it was one of the reasons the preseason MVP medal was named after him.

12) That it would be great to reintroduce "time-outs on the floor" called by players, as per the NBA and as we had a few years ago. It's our competition after all and if people want it, why not do it? Just a thought if the NBLCA is short of agenda items for its next meeting.

13) So what did we really learn? That we once again have a very deep and competitive league and the 2012-13 iiNet Championship cannot get here soon enough.

WHAT did we notice?

1) Kings media manager Mark Wells taking a photograph of the stats sheet after Sydney beat New Zealand 100-93. It was a PSST game Mark.

2) A stunning brunette filming the 36ers-Taipans game. 

3) Kings forward Darnell Lazare seriously rejecting Alex "I Can Lift Heavy Things" Pledger's attempted two-handed dunk. Wow.

4) A stunning brunette filming the 36ers-Taipans game. 

5) Ian Crosswhite throwing down consecutive dunks in Sydney's 6-0 fast start and his Olympian father Perry (Rocky to us old-timers) watching in the stands.

6) A stunning brunette filming the 36ers-Taipans game.

7) That Crocs imports Jason Forte and Curtis Withers bumped up their numbers to 11 points apiece against Melbourne. They were a combined 7-of-21 though, Withers throwing one three-foot shot two feet. He grabbed nine boards though.

8) Ben Allen (21 points, nine boards) is making a case to be a starter.

9) No, I didn't forget. A stunning brunette filming the 36ers-Taipans game. 

10) Mitch Creek super fast and athletic on the break, Jason Cadee exceptional from the 3-point line, CJ Massingale tough going to the hoop and Stephen Weigh now with the new nickname of The Shogun.

11) Oscar Forman is playing some of his most consistent basketball and living up to the Big O nickname. And sidelined teammate Larry Davidson is the tallest towel boy since Ray Borner in 1994. (No, that wasn't one of the reasons the preseason MVP medal is named after him.)

12) Shaun Bruce did not call "banker" when he banked his only three against Adelaide. I'd like to see that shot again frankly. Does anyone know who might have film of the 36ers-Taipans game?

BULLEEN and Bendigo will contest the WNBL PSST final at midday.

At 10am, Logan plays Dandenong, Sydney faces Townsville and Canberra plays China. Adelaide and West Coast also will play at High Noon.

Bananas are the secret behind Bulleen's success. Trust me on this.

GREAT to see the NBL's all-time greatest Sixth Man, the now-retired Stephen Hoare at Day 3's proceedings.

Shame the Blaze went out the way they did because there were plans to rename the Gold Coast Convention Centre "The Hoare House" in honor of his career.

Wait. Have I done that one before?

Oh no, it's OK. It was for the great Brazilian superstar Oscar Schmidt when he went home to Rio after topscoring an Olympics. They shelved plans to rename Rio Stadium "The Schmidt House".

IF Mika Vukona bumped into Matt Andronicos in the CBD, do you reckon they'd automatically go for a coffee?