Basketball On The Internet.

TASMANIA looked the part in beating the Kings (again) this time in Sydney. And Melbourne’s double over Illawarra and New Zealand stood out as well. But in the end, two wins – even over league lesser lights – but by a combined margin of 40 points had the Phoenix as our Round 4 Team of the Week.

Sure, beating the Kings in Sydney these days is a similar feat to the times when beating the Wildcats in Perth was the most prized of scalps.

And Tasmania not only did that but looked damn slick in the process. But the JackJumpers effectively only repeated what they already did to Sydney earlier in the season.

And, OK, the debate here was how meritorious was Melbourne considering it beat lowly Illawarra and then a possibly jet-lagged New Zealand team for its double Ws?

Frankly, those wins seemed reasonably impressive but then South East Melbourne lobbed in Adelaide and humbled the 36ers by 17 points. And this was a Sixers’ team coming off a morale-boosting win over the Hawks and further buoyed by adding Dejan Vasiljevic to its rotation.

The Phoenix looked ripe for the plucking but instead plucked Adelaide well and truly. It was a better win than many gave them credit.

To go home and then deal out a 96-73 rout over Brisbane meant the Phoenix not only twice swept past opponents but to the tune of 40-points all up.

If ever Mike Kelly’s SEM crew needed a shot in the arm, Round 4 delivered it, making South East our Team of the Week.

Meanwhile the Perth Wildcats waltzed into Adelaide with the 36ers reeling from a stumbling, bumbling performance against South East Melbourne and with a win over the Sixers already under their belts.

The 36ers were potentially in freefall and under enormous pressure to find something that worked for them. Who knew the Wildcats would be the perfect patsies?

Wrong combinations, wrong guys taking the big shots, wrong defensive rotations – when there were any – and another long, wrong day at the office.

Beating Tasmania in their season opener, the Wildcats fooled a lot of people, this website included. But they’ve shown their true colours since. If you have the proven best player in the league in your team yet you cannot manufacture an open shot for him, well that just suggests your place as our Team of the Weak as Pi$$ is well overdue.

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 1  Sydney Kings
Round 2  Tasmania JackJumpers
Round 3  Melbourne United
Round 4  South East Melbourne Phoenix

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEAK AS PI$$
Round 1  No Nominees
Round 2  No Nominees
Round 3  Illawarra Hawks
Round 4  Perth Wildcats