Basketball On The Internet.

THE NBL’s 2013-14 grand finalists Perth and Adelaide are expected to make announcements today regarding key player retentions.

The champion Wildcats will welcome back captain Damian Martin, with the 36ers due to reveal tyro Mitch Creek is back for another run at the flag.

The Wildcats retaining multiple and reigning league Defensive Player Martin, one of the few players who can help win games for his team without scoring, is no great surprise.

He often has stated his love for Perth and desire to stay with what is easily the country’s most successful program.

With speculation Creek may turn his athletic talents to AFL football, the 36ers’ expected retention of the off guard/small forward probably is the story which will create greater relief among his club’s fan base.

SPEAKING of Perth, keen-eyed observers of the popular ESPN show PARDON THE INTERRUPTION yesterday will have noticed Matt Knight’s #9 uniform in the background behind co-host Mike Wilbon.

How did it get there?

Good question and one which even Wildcats CEO Nick Marvin can’t answer, because he saw it on television just like the rest of us.

SPEAKING of television, good to see former Basketball Australia chief executive Kristina Keneally has landed on her feet, this week part of the daily panel on Channel 10’s morning staple “Studio 10”.

Finally KK is free to rail against various Governments without the backlash harming basketball.

I also expect to see her soon in one of the “advertorial” segments flogging BA’s low cost High Performance Calendars, reduced by a third from the original price now we have passed Mother’s Day.

HAD a call from an old friend, we used to be real close, said he couldn’t go on the Woodville way without telling me some of the back story of yesterday’s piece here about Hall of Fame legend Al Green’s dismissal as the Warriors’ SA State League coach.

My source insists Green’s neck was in a noose from the moment Benn McDonald – an occasional NBL referee and regular WNBL game-over-caller – was elected Woodville president over outgoing Helen Gleeson.

Seems McDonald, in his finite wisdom, told confidantes – including my source – that he “didn’t rate” Green as a coach, and that was before he was ever elected president.

Nice.

For someone very few people rate as a referee, it really goes to the heart of what has transpired at Woodville.

Sadly, it appears one man’s agenda – which has included weeding out Torrens Valley folk who crossed from the Div.2 club with Green - has led to the club again imploding, harming its reputation at a time when Green had been instrumental in its rebuild, attendances at Warriors’ games among the best in the club’s history.

STILL in the SA State League and Southern Tigers’ women’s import Jade Barber was cut by the club and sent back to the US earlier this month.

It followed an alleged assault on alleged teammate Georgina Wirth which allegedly required a number of alleged people to bring to an alleged end.

Phew. That should keep the lawyers from the alleged door. And Barber from returning to these shores.