Basketball On The Internet.

SERIOUSLY. What the hell was that, NBL? Officiating which left a LOT to be desired, 2,975 fans - the lowest crowd of Season 2024-25 - in attendance, Bryce Cotton scoring more than half his 27 points from the free throw line ... If it wasn't for a Keanu Pinder tour de force, last night's 3v4 finals tip-off would belong in a rubbish bin.

Not saying Perth did not deserve its 122-105 win, elevating the club which finished third into the best-of-three semi finals against Melbourne. But am saying South East Melbourne did not deserve such a monumental level of disrespect from all concerned.

The fact Kylie Minogue had first dibs on RAC Arena already has been well documented but Challenge Stadium, oops, the Perth High Performance Centre, has a 4,500 crowd capacity.

To not even reach two-thirds of that mark for a club which beats its chest about its devoted Red Army fans and regularly boasts 13,500 at RAC Arena is just plain embarrassing. 

Ticketing issues, public transport issues, Tuesday night, a school night, first round historically attracts fewer fans ... blah blah blah, we heard it all. 

Wildcats owner Mark Arena? Shut the hell up bleating about the venue. You clearly have never seen Kylie in full flight.

That was beyond a pathetic turn-out. The game deserved better and, dare I say it, John Rillie outcoached Josh King - words I never thought I'd write in a month of Wednesdays.

Slashing his customary rotation from 12 players, three assistants, a manager, physio and three lucky contestants from the audience - not to mention NOT starting players such as David Okwera, Izan Almansa, Hyrum Harris - he went with the traditional eight men until the result was sealed.

Starting the MVP, Ben Henshall, Dylan Windler, Kristian Doolittle and Pinder, the Wildcats had 20 on the board while the Phoenix were 14 behind, way back in single figures.

Then going to Tai Webster, Almansa and Jesse Wagstaff, Rillie had this match well planned and even better executed. Hats off.

King had to be beyond thrilled with what Angus Glover gave him, the Viking smashing in 15 first-quarter points to bring South East scurrying back into the game.

The 39-33 second period was something to behold before the Wildcats, behind a Pinder on his way to a career-high 35 points at 84 per cent and 3-of-3 threes, 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks, seized control in the third quarter.

Ahead 96-90 with a quarter to go, Perth had seized the initiative and King erred badly by sticking with Nathan Sobey and Joe Weiskamp into the last term.

Sobey's 22 points came on 5-of-16 shooting and the amount of drives he muffed may have been a personal record, even for someone with a habit of jacking up a shot, throwing himself on the floor and glaring at refs.

Weiskamp had a good old fashioned stinker, returning one point off 0-of-10 from the floor. Why King didn't go back to Glover (25 points at 67 per cent, 6-of-9 threes) and Malique Lewis (12 on 5-of-8) earlier will forever remain a mystery. A costly mystery.

The fact Owen Foxwell was on double-duty when Ben Ayre was hurt after just 49 seconds of action, meant his usual game was also off. Guarding Cotton, who only had to threaten to go to the basket to be heading to the free throw line, made it a long night and he was well below his best.

It's no wonder then that after halftime, Perth went 60-38 to wrap this one and move into the semis and a United showdown starting in Melbourne.

South East, whose players could be forgiven for laughing at the ridiculous nature of some of the calls the further this went - if you didn't laugh, you might have cried - also gets to live another day, on Sunday hosting the winner of tomorrow's Sydney-Adelaide 5v6 KO match.

The 36ers are 3-0 over Sydney across their past three meetings and with Xavier Cooks ruled out due to his suspension after his potential violation of the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy, the future looks grim.

Add to that the fact Jarell Martin returns for the Sixers and the chances of Sydney's elimination continues to increase exponentially. Still, tipping more than 2,975 will show up to wave them goodbye.