Basketball On The Internet.

LORDY Lordy, Lord have mercy on them thar tired old Wildcats, or as the NBL's match summary has it: "Crocs down weary Wildcats."

Them poor old boys from the west just ran out of steam, hoo wee, and them nippy little fellas from the Crocoville just ran them all ragged!

Apologies for those two paragraphs but let's be clear. No team in the NBL is as deep as Perth, which can throw the Tall Blacks' starting point guard Jarrod Kenny at you, or first-choice players for several other clubs such as Jesse Wagstaff, Greg Hire or Mr Double-Double Tom Jervis OFF ITS BENCH.

OK, Casey Prather was out but Damo, Dolla, Shawn, Matty and big Nate were all there, weren't they?

If anything, it should have made life marginally easier for Perth coach Trevor Gleeson with one less player to try and satisfy with minutes.

Ahead 15-8 after one quarter - ugh to that period too, by the way, with Townsville's eight points the club's lowest score in a first quarter in its 719-game history - Perth just couldn't find the answers when the Crocs asked the hard questions.

Once again Jordair Jett (pictured) - and friends - had the means to stifle Jermaine Beal (6 points, 1-of-9 shooting, one made basket!!) and the import stood up at the offensive end too.

So did Clint Steindl once more, the Crocodiles' defensive work some of their best ever, Perth's 58 points in the 58-75 loss the club's second lowest output.

For the second year in succession, Townsville has "owned" a marquee club, last year whipping Melbourne United 3-1, this time doing the same to the Wildcats.

It's an outstanding achievement and, for the record, it means the Wildcats, who are in first place, have lost the only two season-series they've completed, against New Zealand and Townsville.

It augurs well for Townsville's playoff chances, given West Sydney in 1999 and Adelaide in 2011 are the only teams in NBL history to beat the Wildcats three times in a regular season, to then NOT make the playoffs.

Let's hope the young Crocs never grow weary of working hard and winning.

OK, I admit I was amused as irrepressible Mirko Djeric kept merrily tapping Shawn Redhage on his side after a turnover and the big fella's annoyed swipe at the Crocs' shooter's arm.

Wasn't quite as thrilled though with Omar Samhan pretending to elbow Damian Martin in the face which he post-game explained as some in-game byplay between friends.

Mate, that's a great way to lose friends, if not credibility. When you're a big-man import who fouls out in 11:08 with six points and two boards against the NBL's biggest team, maybe put "hilarious side antics" on a back-burner until you have some numbers to fall back on.

Today: NEW Zealand has been lying in wait across the Tasman for Illawarra which already has played and despatched Sydney this round, so the odds very much favour the home team. Yes, an upset is a distinct possibility if Kirk Penney is on-song in the homeland but fresh and at home, the Breakers start with distinct advantages.

Last night: TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES 75 (Jett 18, Steindl 17, Young 10; Kay 8 rebs; Jett 4 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 58 (Jawai 13, Knight 11, Jervis 10; Knight 8 rebs; 3 with 3 assts) at The Swamp, Townsville.