Basketball On The Internet.

LOOK-OUT Melbourne. Forget it Townsville. Perth? Nup. Canberra is the "mecca" of basketball in Australia.

I realise you probably didn't know this because it came as exciting news to me today too in a Basketball Australia release extolling the virtues of playing the Oceania Championship games against New Zealand in August at scintillating AIS Arena.

I was nothing short of delightfully enlightened to be informed Basketball Australia chief executive officer Kristina Keneally said Canberra was "fast becoming a mecca for basketball in Australia" and therefore "would be a fitting host for the FIBA Oceania Championships, one of the biggest tournaments on the high performance calendar."

Clearly, Launceston has completely lost its mecca-status, a demise I share in lamenting.

(We should all take a moment here, I think.)

But hell, there is just no holding back Canberra!

"Canberra is one of Australia's strongest sporting hubs, housing our elite program at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence at the AIS and boasting such fierce teams in the Canberra Capitals and Canberra Gunners," KK said.

(I remain eternally dismayed KK omitted to mention Pork Swords, who are dominating the A-Men standings at Tuggeranong, though I do concede the Ginninderra Rats have fallen on hard times in the A-Women at Belconnen. I'm hearing Herb McEachin and Jerry Lee think a Canberra Cannons mention also might have been in order too.)

THE WNBA tips off tomorrow (our time) with London Olympian Rachel Jarry confirmed to spend the season with Minnesota Lynx.

Jarry played 19 minutes in the Lynx's last exhibition game, an 80-88 loss to Connecticut Sun, hit her only three-point attempt and finished with four points, five boards and an assist.

Bendigo's WNBL championship import Kelsey Griffin started for Connecticut and had nine points and five assists and former Jarry teammate at Bulleen, Great Britain international Jo Leedham, bobbed up with six points for the Sun.

Liz Cambage's arrival to resume her WNBA career with Tulsa Shock, alongside super point guard Skylar Diggins, has been met with some initial fan cynicism which, hopefully, won't mar her return to the No.1 league in the world.

Jenna O'Hea (LA Sparks) will be back playing in my favorite indoor venue, Staples Center, while superstar Penny Taylor has been named in the Phoenix Mercury team for their season-opener, the line-up also including Brittney Griner.

SOME Internet scuttle-butt linking former Adelaide 36ers coach and sacked Charlotte Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap to Perth Wildcats is erroneous, according the the NBL club's esteemed CEO Nick Marvin.

"Never spoke to Dunlap," Marvin informed me, interest in his recent fact-finding mission to the US increasing now Perth is the only club left without a coach.

BRENDAN Joyce has strongly disputed scurrilous claims he is keen to have Erin Phillips back in his Opals program because he is a lifelong Collingwood AFL supporter and figures it means he could finally meet her dad, (two-state) Magpies champion Greg.

Though I admit - "How do you come up with $#!& like that?" - may have been his response, Brendan is rapt to have spoken with Erin today, the upshot of which can be found here: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/erin-phillips-keen-to-rejoin-australian-opals-side/story-fndekpx4-1226650172664