Basketball On The Internet.

DON’T be surprised if Daryl Corletto is courted by Melbourne United now the NZ Breakers have released him from the final year of his contract with the triple-NBL champs.

Corletto, 32, was a key man in two of those campaigns but the Breakers have Tom Abercrombie, Mika Vukona, Alex Pledger, Reuben Te Rangi and Corey Webster re-signed and the latter expected to take a big step forward next season.

An NBL champion with Melbourne Tigers, Corletto’s time at the club he served so judiciously was cut short before the deep-in-the-bench role player found a new lease of playing life in Auckland.

He loved the experience too, as revealed in his farewell tweet: "Huge thx to @NZBreakers for the last 3 years. Great times, great memories and friendships. Love the club. Great fans. All the best breakers."

Now this is where United DOES have a clean slate, its ownership different to when Corletto was shafted, suggesting a return to his home town might not be too far out in left-field.

MATT Burston will be back in a Taipans uniform next season but Clint Steindl will be showing off his wares elsewhere.

My (e)mail is his agent is asking some big $$ for him and the price range may in fact take him out of the NBL and on to Europe.

Stay tuned, and maybe tune in to ABC-TV again tomorrow night for Game 3 of the Sino-Aussie Challenge, coming to you from China where Steindl is representing Australia.

Let’s hope the TV coverage is better than what we had, given this halftime graphic from Game 1 in Perth.

Guess it was my imagination Australia was coughing up the ball through the first half.

Apparently the Boomers’ 11 turnovers all occurred in the second half, as did all of China’s 20.

Sure didn’t look that way but credit to ABC’s cover.

After that, it never revisited turnovers as a stat on its graphics, obviously that one just a bit too hard.

Can’t wait to see the local officiating in Games 3 and 4 too.

But no matter how bad it gets, don’t expect Boomers boss Andrej Lemanis to threaten a walk-off by his team.

Too much class.

THE best juniors and junior club teams converge on Melbourne this long weekend for the annual Classics, with good secondary tournaments also on in Nunawading and Ballarat.

The Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre will host the Under 12 and Under 14 Boys and Girls Tournament, with Under 16 Boys and Girls at the Southern Basketball Association (Sandringham).

Frankston and District Basketball Association will host the Under 18 Boys and Girls Tournament so if you want to see how rich Australia’s stocks are with youthful talent – not to mention some wicked games – get along to any of the venues.

For further information, contact the VJBL through adrian.campbell@basketballvictoria.com.au and see the next Patty Mills and/or LJ in action.

STILL on juniors, the Southern Districts Basketball Association in Brisbane will host the Australian National Under 14 Girls Championship from Saturday, September 27 until Saturday, October 4.

The club is seeking Score Table volunteers of all levels to participate in this exciting and rewarding experience, with games from 8am through to 8pm each day and each requiring four score table volunteers.

Lunch and drinks will be provided so perhaps register your interest via email to sdbal@bigpond.net.au or phone 07-33982790.

ACROSS the Tasman in the NZ NBL, the James Blond Supercity Rangers have won four in a row, beating the Breakers Manawatu Jets 100-94.

The Rangers led by as many as 19 but the Jets stormed back to tie the game at 94 all, American Brendon Jenkins converting two free throws with 1:01 left in the game.

The Rangers recaptured the lead through Duane Bailey and after a miss by Arthur Trousdell, the Jets fouled Daryl Corletto who made both free throws.

Down four, Manawatu had 12 seconds for a quick basket but lost the ball allowing Bailey to close the contest with a two-handed slam and to finish with 32 points against his former club.

Corletto had 25, Jason Cadee added 19 and off the bench, forward Tohi Smith-Milner had 11.

It was another heart-breaking loss for the Jets, who now have lost four in a row to slump to 2-8.

The win took the Rangers to 5-7 while Manawatu will have til Queen's Birthday Monday to regroup before hosting Pacific Jewellers Saints.

So how was that for a random item?

TOMORROW: Women’s Topic Friday, with focus on Lightning’s off-season developments.