Basketball On The Internet.

TWO more big games in NBL Round 5 last night and the referees cannot help but get involved - to the detriment of all concerned - as United beats Tasmania in Hobart and the Bullets shoot down a very lame gaggle of Wildcats in Perth, a few of the local fans even voicing their disapproval.

In Hobart, the JackJumpers were staging one of their customary long-range comebacks in their top-of-the-table clash with Melbourne before falling 82-90.

Melbourne, with Kyle Bowen (17 points at 63 per cent) shooting that unique bomb and enjoying a coming-of-age party, had turned an early 4-17 deficit into a 16-point lead during the final quarter.

Bursting out of the blocks with great ball movement and patience to find the best shot, Tasmania looked world-beaters in the early going. They also shut out Chris Goulding (1-of-9) although he did save a big 3-point splash for the end-game when it most mattered.

Marcus Lee, with 10 points (mostly dunks) and 9 boards relished playing his former club and Jack McVeigh (20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists) was solid as usual, apart from a brief period during the third quarter when the wheels fell off.

United's 30-15 third term was decisive, Melbourne's much-vaunted defence led by Shea Ili to the fore, Ian Clark and Luke Travers filling it up at the other end, along with their centrepieces Jo Lual-Acuil and Ariel Hukporti.

Threes by Anthony Drmic, Majok Deng and Milton Doyle were instrumental in the last quarter fightback which drew Tassie to 80-84 on a Deng fast-break.

Then, out of the blue, Drmic was called for a defensive foul before Melbourne inbounded the ball, gifting it a FT and possession.

With 36.3 seconds left, it was a monster call and the refs could be heard on the TV audio saying "he grabbed him with both arms".

Yeah, well, unfortunately for the constabulary, the vision showed nothing of the sort, just Drmic fighting to get position defensively to deny the pass. Grabbing the arns? Sorry. No vision backed that up at all.

JJs coach Scott Roth decided - too late as it happened - to call for a Coach's Challenge but it was disallowed.

The free throw was missed but the kerfuffle certainly brought to an end the Ants' momentum and helped seal a win Melbourne had done enough to complete without further wind assistance.

MELBOURNE UNITED 90 (Clark 19, Bowen, Lual-Acuil 17, Travers 14; Travers 13 rebs; Ili 6 assts) d TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 82 (McVeigh 20, Crawford 16, Doyle 12, Deng, Lee 10; Lee 9 rebs; Doyle 5 assts) at Mystate Bank Arena. Crowd: 4,340

INSIDE the last two minutes of the first quarter and the Perth Wildcats, hosting the luckless Brisbane Bullets at their RAC Arena stronghold, had mustered a grand tally of three points.

Three.

The Bullets had not punished them enough to only lead 18-3 and the insertion of Michael Harris and Hiram Harris sufficiently ignited the Wildcats to have it back to 9-20 at the first break.

But the starters? Overcome, overwhelmed or over-rated, they started tentatively and paid for it as Josh Bannon (15 points at 60 per cent, 6 rebounds, 2 assists) also stepped up alongside the Bullets' usual suspects, Nathan Sobey and Tyrell Harrison.

Mitch Norton organised Brisbane - gee, how Perth could use a smart playmaking point guard like him right now - and while the Wildcats rallied somewhat, they never tasted the lead.

It got a little hairy late for Brisbane, but with Jordan Usher 1-of-6 from the floor and Bryce Cotton 3-of-19 - Sam McDaniel one of a unit of committed Bullets working overtime to keep him from being a factor - it was all a Wildcats mirage.

Coach John Rillie heard the crowd's disapproval but the biggest idiocy of the night came with time virtually run out.

Ahead 94-86, the Bullets were safe, Corey Webster hitting a consolation 3-pointer at the siren for the final score.

No. Wait. Referee Vaughan Mayberry spotted a clock anomaly and forced both teams back onto the floor to play 0.3 of a second.

Seriously?

Bullets coach Justin Schueller called a time-out - if Vaughan can be super silly, why not waste a little more time - advancing the ball to pass it in. Siren again.

This is what we are forced to believe is great officiating? Just pack up your whistle and go home, it's over. Where's Ferris Bueller when you need him?

BRISBANE BULLETS 94 (Sobey 17, Smith 16, Bannan 15, Harrison 12; McDaniel 8 rebs; Norton 4 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 89 (Pinder 22, C.Webster, T.Webster 11, Cotton 10; Doolittle 11 rebs; Cotton 5 assts) at RAC Arena. Crowd: 10,481