Basketball On The Internet.

SYDNEY Kings mentor and four-time Australian Olympic coach Brian Goorjian - indisputably the G.O.A.T. of NBL coaching - today was sensationally ejected late in the third quarter from the clash with Perth in one of the more heinous acts of overly officious officiating in recent memory.

It was a new low, even for the NBL, where Lord knows what unfathomable depths the officiating will plumb before someone makes the referees accountable.

The contest delicately poised with Sydney ahead 69-60, Goorjian lightly jumped on the spot when Tim Soares was blown for an offensive foul.

Initially unaware he was teched, and then confused as to why, Goorjian was approached at the sideline by veteran ref Vaughan Mayberry, repeatedly asking for clarification.

That was when umpire James Grigoul - he who last season told Montrezl Harrell he could not engage in banter with spectators, then sheepishly had to apologise for over-stepping his authority - was the man behind the technical, given because Goorjian "jumped" when the call went against Soares.

Say what?

Grigoul's retort: "You need to control your emotions here," was further inflammatory, the match an NBL one, not an under-14 boys game with an overly-excited parent coach in the imaginary firing line.

Understandably and visibly upset, Goorjian's unsurprising verbal response meant he was hit with an immediate second technical foul, leading to his automatic expulsion.

The match became increasingly physical and fiery, Perth fighting an uphill battle after losing import Dylan Windler late in the first quarter with what appeared an ankle injury.

Trailing 66-76 in the last quarter, Wildcats coach John Rillie pointed out a blatant missed foul against Bul Kuol pushing Jaron Rillie in the back to snatch a ball, Grigoul immediately giving him a technical foul.

Now down 66-79, Kristian Doolittle swished a 3-pointer, then Jaron Rillie nailed another with 6:32 left to bring Perth to 72-79.

But that was all she wrote for the boys from the west. Sydney finished on a 15-0 run, containing the Wildcats to just those two field goals and six points in the final quarter while rattling on 20 of their own, Kendric Davis finishing on 25 points and Xavier Cooks scoring 16 and eight boards. 

In Melbourne ... Called for an absurd foul while simply boxing out under New Zealand's basket, Chris Goulding was doubly irate when Dean Vickerman's Coach's Challenge on the erroneous call was dismissed and the incorrect decision upheld.

Melbourne was leading New Zealand 19-15 with 2:52 to go in the first period when Goulding, still incensed by the call, stuck a monster 3-pointer.  Away on the break, Goulding then stuck a second from even further out and the game was turned on its head.

Off to a fast start, Izaiah Brockington had nine of New Zealand's first 15 but it was all for nought as in just a matter of seconds, Goulding turned a four-point game into a 25-15 lead and by the first break, that was extended to 28-17.

By halftime it was 56-38 and Goulding (23 points) had swished 5-of-6 threes.

Milton Doyle also enjoyed the second period before it was Tanner Krebs' turn to put on a long-range missile bombardment. He had 5-of-8 threes in his final tally, Goulding with 6-of-8, the Breakers mounting some third quarter resistance.

Brockington had a season-high 25 points at 63 per cent and Parker Jackson-Cartwright tickled a triple-double with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists.

Having committed only two turnovers in their win over Tasmania - the lowest by any team in the 43 years turnovers have been a recorded statistic - the Breakers were not as clean with the ball against United, committing 13, Jackson-Cartwright the worst offender with five.

Round 5 (Includes Ignite Cup)

Tasmania JackJumpers 86 (Campbell 21, Bannan 18, Ayre 13; Bannan 14 rebs; Marshall, Bannan 6 assts) d Sydney Kings 70 (Galloway 13, Soares, Cooks 12, Dellavedova 11, Davis 10; Soares, Cooks 8 rebs; Cooks, Davis, Dellavedova 4 assts) at the Anthill, MyState Bank Arena. Crowd: 4,250 Q-Q: 29-19, 21-13, 19-18, 17-20. Cup Pts: Tasmania 6, Sydney 1

Brisbane Bullets 110 (Prather 34, Harrison 27, Devers 15, Ducas 14, Murray 12; Harrison 15 rebs; Adams, Patterson 6 assts) d Perth Wildcats 93 (Jones 19, Lual-Acuil 18, Windler 12, Henshall 10; Doolittle 5 rebs; Doolittle 6 assts) at the Bungle, RAC Arena. Crowd: 6,110 Q-Q: 26-21, 30-27, 24-23, 30-22. Cup Pts: Brisbane 7, Perth 0

Adelaide 36ers 88 (Cotton 28, Humphries 21, Cheatham, Vasiljevic 8; Cheatham 14 rebs; Cotton 6 assts) d South East Melboiurne Phoenix 71 (Hunter 16, Sobey 12, Glover 11, Lewis 10; Hunter, Sobey 7 rebs; Maldonado 7 assts) at Brett Maher Court, Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 9,802

New Zealand Breakers 82 (Jackson-Cartwright 21, Brockington 17, Mennenga 12; Mennenga 8 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 6 assts) d Tasmania Jack Jumpers 65 (Magnay 14, Hamilton 13, Ayre 11, Bannan 10; Magnay 12 rebs; Campbell 4 assts) at The Breakwater, Spark Arena. Crowd: 3,212

Melbourne United 95 (Goulding 22, Doyle 17, Krebs 16; Edwards 7 rebs; Walker 6 assts) d Brisbane Bullets 86 (Adams 29, Prather 26, Harrison 16; Harrison 11 rebs; Adams 5 assts) at the Bullethole, Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 4,899

Adelaide 36ers 91 (Cotton 53, Cameron 14, Humphries 8; Cheatham, Cameron 8 rebs; Cotton 5 assts) d Cairns Taipans 86 (Andrews 23, Schofield 18, Smith 17, Lee 14; Galloway, Schofield 9 rebs; Andrews 7 assts) at the Taipanadrome, Cairns Convention Centre. Crowd: 4,004

South East Melbourne Phoenix 116 (Glover 26, Sobey 21, Maldonado 13, Brown 11; Hunter 9 rebs; Maldonado 9 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 76 (McGee 22, Harvey 14, H.Froling 11; McGee 11 rebs; Harvey 3 assts) at the Firepit, John Cain Arena. Crowd: 5,615

Melbourne United 104 (Goulding 23, Krebs 17, Walker 16, Bowen 13, Doyle 12; Edwards 10 rebs; Walker 9 assts) d New Zealand Breakers 88 (Brockington 25, Jackson-Cartwright 20, Mennega 15; Lopez, Jackson-Cartwright 9 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 9 assts) at the UN, John Cain Arena. Crowd: 8,092

Sydney Kings 94 (Davis 25, Cooks 16, Dellavedova 15, Soares 11; Cooks, Soares 8 rebs; Dellavedova, Cooks 4 assts) d Perth Wildcats 72 (Lual-Acuil 17, Rillie 16, Doolittle 14; Doolittle 10 rebs; Rillie, Lual-Acuil 3 assts) at the Kingdome, Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 8,032