Basketball On The Internet.

GET on down to Townsville Airport at 9:45 tonight Crocophiles and welcome home your first-time NBL champions, Shawn Dennis and his Crocodiles.

And yes, it was a sweep, import Mickell Gladness also bringing home the Ray Borner Medal as MVP of the tournament at Auchenflower Stadium.

Ray Ray was so chuffed to finally be giving it to a fellow centre, he even renamed him Marcus Gladness - not that there's any chance that might stick in an Aussie environment!

Arch rival Cairns Taipans only had to beat Sydney's depleted team today and win three quarters to leapfrog the Crocs.

But the Kings played with tremendous heart and energy, denying the Taipans the full points and forcing the Loggins-Bruton Cup to a points spread countback which Townsville comfortably won.

"The guys have been working hard and this is a terrific boost for them," Dennis said through the streamers, balloons and popping of champagne corks.

"We're not getting at all carried away but if there isn't a street ticker-tape parade this week, it would be a damn shame," he didn't add while not smoking a stogey cigar.

Actually, it is a fantastic boost for the Townsville program which has had its turmoils in recent times.

Last place last season never was reflective of how the team played, making its own history by becoming the first bomb-shelter resident to beat every team above it.

Those pundits who again had Townsville and Cairns pencilled in for similar endings this season definitely need a rethink.

Their imports are good, their Aussie talent is good and the future is bright.

Remember, Townsville made it back from a 19-point halftime deficit against Melbourne United to get that win, then belted another impressive first-night team, New Zealand, by 27.

The hustle and second-effort of the entire roster was inspiring but it also showed class too, Gladness a tower in the keyway, Brian Conklin looking sharp and Todd Blanchfield stepping up.

Steve Markovic ran the team with conviction and when it mattered, he and Clint Steindl made big shots.

Mirko Djeric provided irresistible energy, Leon Henry was one of the Blitz's better surprises and veterans Jacob Holmes and Greg Vanderjagt knew just what to do and when to do it.

Assistant coach Mike Kelly, dripping wet after having a barrel of Gatorade dumped over him, said this was the best feeling he'd had since returning to Australia, not counting the sausage roll he snuck on Friday.

In truth, everyone among the Crocs was keeping the club's first success at some NBL silverware in genuine perspective.

Yes. It is just the preseason, after all.

But winning sure as hell beats the alternatives.

YES, the tragic news is true with star centre and the first woman to dunk at an Olympic Games, Liz Cambage, snapping an Achilles tendon in a warm-up game against the USA in Paris.

That immediately rules her out of this week's World Championship in Turkey and for the foreseeable future.

An understandably stunned Opals coach, Brendan Joyce, told me today he was thrilled his team had bounced back to beat France and glad he had a little time to restructure the team's priorities ahead of the WC.

"We represent a country that has been resilient and proud," he said.

"We've got to bring it every night, every quarter, every minute - together."

It's a massive blow on top of Lauren Jackson's absence but write off the Opals at your peril.

TOMORROW: The full Blitz wrap!