Basketball On The Internet.

REMEMBER all the angst through the NBL preseason last year about the direction the officiating was going to take?

Then all the additional angst during The Blitz as officials from around the country tried to adopt the new (old?) philosophy of actually calling illegal contact.

There was initial over-calling and considerable teeth-gnashing and hand-wringing by players and coaches alike.

But as the season wore on, most people not named Mika Vukona caught on and we had one of the NBL’s better seasons, with higher scoring and considerably more quality action.

That is until Game 3 of the Grand Final where flopping – the bane of the game – sadly was back in vogue and what arguably had to be our best officiating crew lost its way.

Not that the result of the match would have been any different.

But the flops again had everyone moaning.

With so much progress made in 2013-14, it was easy to lose it with the last day’s in-game images.

But here’s the rub.

FIBA is now following Australia’s lead with its latest interpretations meaning the NBL was actually was ahead of the game.

All those impatient fans bemoaning the free throw exhibitions some of the preseason and early round matches turned into need to revisit that thinking.

It took different teams and different players different lengths of time to adjust before we had the game we wanted.

Now the world – via FIBA – is following suit.

Toupees off then to Mal Cooper and his team of Ray Hunt and Bill Mildenhall who, not surprisingly, have been reappointed in their roles of running the officiating in 2014-15.

The return of the jumpball – we have plenty of time now for clubs to paint the rest of the circle in on their keyways – and maybe time-outs on the floor should be back on the agenda.

But not ahead of banning the flop – defensive AND offensive.

It is a blight on the game.

NEW NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has so far been an absolute winner.

His swift and decisive action against former Los Angeles Clippers owner and notorious bigot Donald Sterling showed up his predecessor David Stern.

Stern clearly kept Sterling’s racism in his “Too Hard” basket but Silver was resolute and strong in banning him, fining him and taking the team off him.

His popularity was evident with the rousing receptions he received at the podium for Friday’s NBA Draft and his role in awarding Isaiah Austin an “honorary” drafting was a moving stroke of compassionate thoughtfulness.

The Baylor centre was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome during a pre-draft physical, just days before the Draft.

This rare genetic disorder affects the heart. It can successfully be treated but contact sports are out because of the danger of potentially fatal damage to the aorta.

Austin, who revealed during his last college season that he is partially blind, was expected to be drafted before the revelations suddenly ended his basketball career.

But he still had a chance to experience a part of his dream when Silver called his name out as a ceremonial pick – the NBA’s selection – between the official 15th and 16th draftees.

Clearly emotional as he strode to the stage to shake Silver’s hand, Austin received a standing ovation.

“Like the other young men here tonight, Isaiah committed himself through endless hard work and dedication to a potential career as a professional basketball player and we wanted to make sure he fulfilled at least this part of this dream," Silver announced at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“So it gives me great pleasure to say, that with the next pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the NBA selects Isaiah Austin out of Baylor University.”

Austin has been offered a coaching role at Baylor University while Silver continues to show he is solid gold.

CANBERRA Caps multiple-WNBL Championship winner Jessica Bibby might be turning 35 this year but is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Last night in the QBL for Gladstone’s Port City Power, Bibby went off for 53 points in a 118-55 win over Toowoomba.

That’s right, she scored two less than the Mountaineers and played 35:39 … so Toowoomba had a bit more time to outscore her!

The 53 came on 20-of-36 shooting (56%), and included 7-of-14 triples and 6-of-7 free throws.

She also had seven steals, four boards and two assists.

Does her off-season preparation beat pole-dancing?

Will have to ask Caps teammate Carly Wilson that one.