Basketball On The Internet.

BARRING any unforseen injuries, the North and South teams for the return of the NBL's All Star Game at Adelaide Arena on December 22 are set in stone.

The home team, South, coached by New Zealand's dual-championship winning coach Andrej Lemanis is - Starters: Cedric Jackson (Breakers), Kevin Lisch (Wildcats), Thomas Abercrombie (Breakers), Seth Scott (Tigers), Daniel Johnson (36ers). Bench: Johnny Flynn (Tigers), Adam Gibson (36ers), Chris Goulding (Tigers), Anthony Petrie (36ers), Shawn Redhage (Wildcats).

North, coached by Wollongong's Gordie McLeod - Starters: Adris Deleon (Hawks), Ben Madgen (Kings), Oscar Forman (Hawks), Darnell Lazare (Kings), Cam Tragardh (Taipans). Bench: Corin Henry (Kings), Gary Ervin (Crocodiles), Lance Hurdle (Hawks), Clint Steindl (Taipans), Ian Crosswhite (Kings).

The sharp-shooters for the Three-Point Shoot-Out field are: Stephen Weigh (36ers), Ben Madgen (Kings), Oscar Forman (Hawks), Peter Crawford (Crcodiles), Clint Steindl (Taipans).

The high-flying fiends for the Slam Dunk Contest are Mitch Creek (36ers), Lance Hurdle (Hawks), Darnell Lazare (Kings), Lucas Walker (Tigers), Thomas Abercrombie (Breakers).

I have a some more on this at adelaidenow at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/gibson-petrie-join-line-up/story-fndekpx4-1226535632061 and in the Around the NBL column at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/around-the-nbl-with-boti-nagy/story-fndekpx4-1226535636531

THE NBL could pull a huge (and strangely appropriate surprise) by announcing its Slam Dunk Contest celebrity judge as ... Brett Rainbow.

And why not? The former Melbourne Tigers guard won the competition twice while barely setting foot on an NBL court otherwise.

A shrewd piece of marketing or just a crazy-but-cool Nathan Strempel suggestion?

You make up your own mind. Why isn't Nathan calling NBL.TV games for that matter?

FURTHER to last week's confusion when BA released a statement which did not carry any quotes from Kristina Keneally - how is that possible? - I since have been reliably informed it works on the "good cop - bad cop" premise.

If it is a GOOD announcement, or controversial, or headline-catching? Those are from KK.

If it's just bad news, Scott Derwin gets rolled out for those.

SUZY Batkovic has claimed her third WNBL Player of the Week award and gone back-to-back after leading Lightning to consecutive wins and out of their three-loss slump.

The Batgirl, already famous for her "batarang" move (a sweet spin from the post), added the "bat-em-back" against West Coast, blocking seven shots.

"It felt like I was playing volleyball every time I saw Suzy," a certain Coaster (who shall remain nameless, fearing further retribution when they play again in a week or so) declared post-game. 

STOP the presses! Kerry Williams has been declared fit to return to the Skytrans Cairns Taipans roster after missing one game due to a groin injury.

As we cyberspeak, Kerry is with the team in Auckland preparing for tonight's showdown with the Breakers. And, God willing, he will be right to play against Melbourne too.

Currently averaging 1.7 points, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 13 minutes per game, Williams' breathlessly announced return is sure to send Andrej Lemanis and his brains trust rushing back to the drawing board to re-think tonight's game-plan.

 

NBL Rankings

This Wk ... Prev

8 (8) TIGERS - A 26-point turnaround by the Crocs leaves Melbourne languishing.

7 (7) CROCS - The climb is underway but Sixers at home will be no picnic.

6 (6) TAIPANS - NZ and Melbourne away makes this a crucial round for Cairns.

5 (5) 36ERS - Time for the recovery to begin and who better than Townsville?

4 (2) BREAKERS - Took lumps from Sydney and must pummel Cairns to regain swagger.

3 (4) KINGS - The steady movers now catch Wollongong minus Shaggy.

2 (3) HAWKS - Showed heart and fight in Perth but injury toll points to imminent slide.

1 (1) WILDCATS - Found a way to win in Adelaide and just cannot be under-estimated.

WNBL Rankings

This Wk ... Prev

9 (9) WAVES - Really lacked pluck in Adelaide but catch Canberra in a trough.

8 (7) THUNDER - Lost a chance to advance last round, now facing Bendigo. Ouch.

7 (5) CAPITALS - The tumble continues though Canberra should get a split from Coast-Lightning.

6 (8) FLAMES - Bulleen a huge test but Sydney looked super as it knee-capped the Caps.

5 (6) FIRE - That even-keel is at risk against Bendigo in another key Townsville fixture.

4 (4) BOOMERS - At home to Sydney and should get it done. Just no certainty.

3 (3) LIGHTNING - Really looking back in the groove now and only threat to top two.

2 (1) RANGERS - There's more to it than talent but Dandy know where the bar is set now.

1 (2) SPIRIT - Have everything they need to make this a championship season.

THIS WEEK'S TIPS

YOU have to love it when one of the better Grand Final series is revisited, as it will be when New Zealand hosts Cairns. This is a huge weekend for the Taipans but after getting pantsed last round - and with Dillon Boucher making his 200th appearance as a Breaker staple (and two-ring binder) - I cannot see an upset visitor's victory.

It would be reasonable to expect Wollongong to miss Larry Davidson more than Perth misses Brad Robbins, the Wildcats already having had to play without him due to injury earlier in the season. Then again, the Hawks are good at home so let's do this scientifically. Heads! It's Perth.

Townsville has only been winning since big Luke Nevill walked into the line-up but considering Adelaide's skid started when it gave the Crocs' their opening win of the 2012-13 iiNet Championship (after 10 zeroes) expect the 36ers to be fired up and successful.

Hard to admit for some reason but I'm a believer now that Sydney is for real. Steadily I've begun to recognise the Kings have been the ONLY team regularly and consistently living up to their potential which means, of course, any team they "shouldn't" beat had better be playing well because you know Sydney will deliver. Witness NZ last round. Should the Breakers beat Sydney? Yep. Did they bring their A-game? No. Did the Kings take care of business? Yup. That's the long version of why they will beat Wollongong to take a 2-1 lead in their season series.

Cannot make head nor tail out of Melbourne. The talent is there and for long stretches the Tigers can look really dangerous. But then they have a brain fade or a couple of ill-conceived turnovers and that lack of 40-minute discipline can see them turn into almost a rabble at times. That's why I have to favor Cairns to win on Sunday. 

TOWNSVILLE has been sneaking up on the WNBL top four but has yet to show it belongs in it, losing to clubs genuinely challenging for post-seasion action. That adds to the pertinence of this game against pacesetting Bendigo but a close loss is the most likely scenario.

It might be a long-term plan at West Coast but it was pretty soft in its first half against Adelaide, and Canberra will not be any friendlier, especially coming off a 46-point humiliation.

Bulleen has to beat Sydney so the Veneto Club chefs will have those steaks sizzling and blintzes cooking during the game, knowing the fragrance will distract the Flames just enough.

Backing up against Dandenong after the post-game eats at Veneto will be horrific for Sydney, the Rangers anxious to quickly regroup after last week's loss, the Flames needing an Eno.

Logan's season has been reduced to the role of spoiler now and while the Thunder can get on a roll at times, they should not be able to stay the distance against Bendigo.

Expecting Canberra to exorcise its demons in Perth, it will not be as fired up for Adelaide and that will prove fatal.

JEREMIAH Trueman, Jeremiah Johnson and the Jeremiah who was a bullfrog, walk into a bar. The barman looks up from where he is cleaning glasses, stares at them and says: "What is this? Some kind of joke?"