Basketball On The Internet.

I HATE to be the bearer of bad tidings, especially where this man is concerned, but David Andersen won’t be playing in the NBL anytime soon.

Yes, like many of you dreamers out there, I too entertained the thought of how glorious it would be for Ando to sail back into Wollongong and take over Larry Davidson’s role while the Big Laz recovers from a bad ankle sprain.

Fitting the pieces together was easy. On the one hand you have the Hawks, needing big-man help for 4-6 weeks.

On the other we have Ando, NBL Rookie of the Year in 1998-99 with the Hawks, working his way back to full fitness for another overseas tilt after Christmas.

How would 4-5 weeks of match fitness play into that? Perfectly, right?

Um, no.

“I’ve been doing a lot of training and work in Melbourne,” he said today.

“I haven’t heard anything directly from Wollongong and I don’t think my agent has either.

“I’ve heard some Chinese whispers but that’s about it.

“But the truth is it probably wouldn’t happen for a number of reasons.”

A key one is Andersen has allowed himself to return to something resembling good health again by not having to rush to anyone else’s schedule.

“I think my body is now in pretty good nick for my age,” the 33-year-old, 212cm triple-Olympian said.

“I’d like to get 3-4 more good years. I’m still going strong.”

Andersen said he was eyeing Europe, China and the US as playing options and most likely will have a few training runs with the Melbourne Tigers before jumping on a plane anywhere.

(That’s an early heads-up for you, in case you start hearing breathless rumors about Ando-to-the-Tigers in a few weeks.)

“At this point, I don’t want to commit to an NBL program because then you are committed to their schedule,” he said, Andersen comfortable working his way to where he wants to be at his own pace.

On the upside for Hawks’  fans, coach Gordie McLeod said Tim Coenraad was having tests today and was a chance to play in the road game against Cairns.

“Larry is a few weeks away. It was a Grade 2 with ligament damage and bone bruising,” McLeod said.

“It was always going to be 4-6 weeks but he is coming along well.”

As for replacing him while he recovers?

“We don’t have the budget to bring anyone in and we don’t have the budget for a David Andersen, as much as we’d love to have him,” he said.

It means David Gruber and Oscar Forman will just have to keep battling away until Davidson, 30 and 208cm, makes his way back into the lineup.

Davidson has the 3 Ss - size, smarts and skillset – to be the fourth “S” (Star) in the NBL but has never shown a mental aptitude commensurate with his potential.

That’s a shame because time is running out on what could still be a great NBL career but looks more likely to just be a good one.

GEELONG Supercat Jock Landale - all 210cm of him - is heading to St Mary's College in California, the 14th Aussie to join the university.

Having just completed his Year 12 studies, Landale joins the Gaels in August.

CAUGHT up with the NBL's "star, so far" in James Ennis this week, ahead of Friday's big top-of-the-table NBL showdown between Perth and Adelaide.

This was the upshot: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/james-ennis-settles-in-to-aussie-life-and-has-sights-set-on-gunning-down-adelaide-36ers/story-fnii09ki-1226764469203 and frankly, I cannot wait for the match-up.

Actually, I can't wait to see Ennis-Frye II, having been lucky enough to be present for "Ennis-Frye I" at the preseason Blitz.

That was two athletic swingmen taking it to each other, Frye with a driving in-traffic dunk that brought fans out of their seats, Ennis with a volleyball-spike-like shot rejection which had heads shaking.

What a weekend it will be in Adelaide too, with that match part of a blockbuster double-header featuring fourth-placed Lightning hosting reigning WNBL champ and league-leading Bendigo to start the night.

And if that isn't enough for fans in the city of churches, on Saturday the club is staging its first "Fame Games" which should be a fun treat.

What are they exactly? See if this helps: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/charades-challenges-its-all-in-fun-as-sixers-lightning-and-celebrity-stars-go-headtohead-at-fame-games/story-fnii09ki-1226763739141