Basketball On The Internet.

DARRYL McDonald was given his marching orders today by Melbourne United and Shane Heal's consortium should on Friday be revealed as the new WNBL outfit out of Brisbane.

D-Mac, who was promoted to head coach when Chris Anstey stepped away from the Far-From-United franchise after Week 1 of the NBL season, was told today he was no longer required.

Sadly it appears club ownership didn't look more deeply into the issues within the team, which weren't just ego-driven but also from divisions created by management. 

That's the same management which bungled securing Brian Goorjian as its new coach after he concluded his time at China's Dongguan Leopards.

My (e)mail is Goorj met with United majority owner Larry Kestelman and CEO Vince Crivelli and agreed to terms to be the new coach.

But, as they say, the devil is in the detail and while further discussions were suddenly necessary and Goorj had interest from a powerhouse CBA club, he took the latter option.

(Hopefully he'll be back with Mark Cowan's Dragons sometime in the future, if there is a future.)

Now United is busy talking with American candidates, which is always a risk given the coaching track record of US guys who come into Australia with terrific resumes and profiles but no idea of our lifestyle and/or game style.

WHILE United gathers up the pieces of its on-court mess - off court the sponsorships and even attendance at the club's last game were inroads to be proud of - the WNBL and Basketball Australia is preparing to announce the new team out of south-east Queensland.

It won't be the Sting, the outfit proposed by former Logan Thunder coach and driver Jason Chainey.

Instead BA will be returning a WNBL presence to Brisbane and its immediate surrounds to Heal's group.

And that means the Lightning in Adelaide need to move super-fast because the new club will have an offer in Erin Phillips' hands in next-to-no-time. 

THE celebrations won't be stopping in Townsville anytime soon and that's a good thing.

The Fire's WNBL Championship success with its 75-65 Grand Final victory over Bendigo Spirit was one for the ages and even more amazing considering four years ago, the club was almost done for.

To bring the first national elite sporting title to the region is a credit to coach Chris Lucas, his hard-working playing personnel, his board, the sponsors, volunteers and Townsville community and speaks volumes for how quickly a program can be turned around. (Crocodiles and Hawks take note!)

Small forward Mia Newley, centre Suzy Batkovic and retiring (but rarely shy) captain Rachael McCully ensured the season ended as it should have, with great supporting performances from Stephanie Cumming and Cayla Francis.

Unusually, Bendigo is advertising its coaching position which is something of a slap for Bernie Harrower.

The elder statesman has guided that club into the playoffs, then three straight Grand Finals including back-to-back Championships.

"Time to go in a new direction?"

If that's the prevailing thinking in Bendigo, count on that direction to be down.

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