Basketball On The Internet.

IT’S been a big few days with lots of developments around the place, including a couple of fairly diverse coaching appointments.

In Bendigo, Simon Pritchard has inherited the WNBL hot-seat from Bernie Harrower in what has been a fairly acrimonious split between the club and the town’s foremost basketball family.

Apart from a cluster of South Australian State Championships with both Norwood’s men’s and women’s teams, and National Under-20 successes with South Australia’s women’s teams, Simon also has assisted at Adelaide Lightning and, most recently Canberra Capitals.

He also was assistant coach of the Australian Under-17 girls’ team from 2011-14 and the diabolically named “Emerging Opals” in 2013.

His two-year appointment in Bendigo is a blow to those in SA still hoping for a Lightning team next season as he was the obvious choice to lead that revival – if there is to be one.

Following Bernie is akin to accepting a poison chalice as just by being the coach who succeeded the Harrower dynasty, he will be subject to unwarranted suspicion and scrutiny.

But he certainly is ready for the role of a WNBL head coach in what sadly will be something of a toxic environment for a while yet.

BILLY Donovan has ended his tenure at University of Florida, leaving the Gators to take on the role as head coach of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.

Just as Americans coming in “cold” to our NBL, there have been many college coaching casualties when they have stepped up to NBA level.

But Donovan – who played under college great Rick Pitino (another who was unsuccessful in the transition when he coached NBA) – might make the step up more smoothly, already endorsed by the Thunder’s 2013-14 league MVP Kevin Durant.

MELBOURNE United’s appointment of US coach Dean Demopoulos, 61, to run its NBL program from 2015-16 has been given a positive reinforcement with Mike Kelly joining the club from Townsville.

Kelly, a star import, then naturalised defensive specialist and 3-point driller, was an NBL championship winner during his stint in Victoria before joining the Crocs.

Back from a stint as an assistant in the US, he was Shawn Dennis’ right-hand man in Townsville and with his history and knowledge of the NBL, is more than a handy acquisition for Melbourne.

But even moreso for Demopoulos.

LASTLY on coaches, Sandy Brondello has enjoyed further success in Russia with her UMMC Ekaterinburg successfully defending its Russian Premier League title, winning its seventh straight Championship.

Not bad going for the WNBA’s 2015 Coach of the Year and Championship coach at Phoenix Mercury.

Ekaterinburg stumbled at the EuroLeague Women’s Final Four but made no mistake, beating Nadezhda 62-59 on the road to wrap up a 3-1 series triumph.

It won three straight after dropping the series opener, US superstar Candace Parker with a 15-point, 16-rebound double in the deciding game.

THE NBL again has moved its date for free agent activity to start.

It's original slated for two weeks after the Grand Final is decided, was moved to April 30 to accommodate voluntary administration issues at Wollongong and Townsville, and now has shifted again to May 15.

The good news?

It’s May 15 THIS year.

(At this stage. Stay tuned.)

MAY 15, or Friday-week, also is D-Day for Adelaide Lightning’s future, Basketball SA again calling for help, even though, in truth, if the state federation really wanted to, it could pick up the tab for a season.

That would give it real time to find an alternative plan.

Maybe check out this crisis at this ONLINE story: http://bit.ly/1IJhY0H

SPEAKING Lightning, their free agent centre Alex Bunton has signed to play at the new-look Dandenong Rangers.

In other player news, keep an eye out for United power forward and MVP Mark Worthington.

My (e)mail is he will be playing somewhere north of Melbourne next season.

IF you haven’t caught the latest 30for30 ESPN doco on “Shaq and Dale”, it is well worth a look and still doing the rounds.

The relationship between Shaquille O’Neal and his coach at Louisiana State University, Dale Brown is pretty special.

Brown is well-known to basketball aficionados in Australia, recruiting Eddie Palubinskas - our historic first top scorer at an Olympics – and also trying for Andris Blicavs, Phil Smyth and Andy Campbell during those halcyon 70s.

When the doco gets to examining Shaq’s free throw shooting issues and there’s a “coach” passing him the ball from under the basket as he practices, if you’ve a keen eye you’ll spot that man to be Eddie Palubinskas.

But it’s quick so don’t blink!

ROD Laver Arena, which Basketball Australia CEO Anthony Moore informed guests at the Free Throw Foundation luncheon on March 20 would host the upcoming Australia-New Zealand Rio Olympics qualification, was confirmed as the venue on Sunday.

Perfect day to make a big announcement … Sunday.

Tickets already are on sale for the event on August 15 at which the Boomers will suit their strongest-ever team, outside a World Cup or Olympics against a Tall Blacks team led by Steve Adams (OKC).

The Opals also will take on New Zealand in the double-header but as Bronze Medallists from last year’s FIBA World Championship, will start unbackable favourites.