Basketball On The Internet.

IT’S good to see the NBL can learn from previous mistakes.

Take charging Perth Wildcats second assistant coach Adam Tatalovich today for misconduct and bringing the game into disrepute.

By doing that, even at the prompting of the 36ers, it at least acknowledges the charge against Adelaide coach Joey Wright of striking Tatalovich had a precursor.

A decade ago when Martin Cattalini was playing for the 36ers, he and Victoria Giants guard Marcus Wright became entangled in the post-game and The Cat was charged by the NBL with fighting.

No-one else was charged.

Think about that.

Clearly, Cattalini had to be fighting with himself, which is pretty much impossible.

There again, unless he was wrestling inner demons or shadow boxing.

But to be charged with fighting strongly in itself suggests another participant, surely?

Apparently not, Cattalini found guilty of fighting with no-one and copping a game for it.

Ridiculous? Of course.

Not the charge, or the penalty, mind you. Just the fact he was charged alone.

Similarly, any sane, rational and non-tribal NBL fan who watches the video of the aftermath of the Wildcats-36ers handshakes can see the initial to-do is being settled and Joey is among the peacemakers when suddenly he flips.

And thus he is charged with striking Tatalovich who, the triballists now wish to claim, was protecting the Wildcat development players from Joey’s machinations.

Wow.

No wonder juries need 12 people.

Joey lost it after Tatalovich shoved his hand back at him, Wright’s hand only up in a pacifying motion in the first place, and then allegedly mouthing off at him as a bonus present.

The thing was over but that ignited it all back up.

Is anyone disputing Joey over-reacted?

I doubt it.

Is anyone disputing Tatalovich should have left well-enough alone?

Well, yes.

Pretty much anyone who follows Twitter would know Wildcats fans are rushing to exonerate an obviously much-loved assistant who most couldn’t name before Friday’s shemozzle.

So be it.

It will all play out over the next few days and James Ennis, whose charge of attempting to strike Mitch Creek was thrown out, can lead the “Kumbaya” chorus when the teams meet again in Adelaide on March 14.

In the meantime, well done to the league for recognising it takes two to tango.

A decade too late for The Cat though.