Basketball On The Internet.

REGIONAL clubs playing team-first basketball are dominating the NBL and WNBL, Illawarra today drawing a sell-out 5,462 fans to WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong to see it crush Perth, while Bendigo continues to lead the WNBL despite two unexpected setbacks this round.

The Spirit compiled a 9-0 win streak before contemplating a unique undefeated season, a thought which naturally instead led to back-to-back losses this round, first to Perth Lynx then today to Southside Flyers.

At the same time, the high-flying Wildcats, with superstar Bryce Cotton on a 40-point plus tear for the past four games, hit Illawarra full of confidence before possibly reeling at the sight of the Hawks' Big Big Joe Tertzakian-designed special Christmas uniforms.

And there was plenty of cause for celebration as Trey Kell III went off for an NBL career-best 31 points at 63 per cent, with five boards and five assists.

Sam Froling controlled the paint and Tyler Harvey was red hot when the Hawks needed it, their 37-28 first quarter setting the stage for the relentless assault to follow.

Cotton continued where he left off, scoring 13 points in the first period and looking capable of going off on another blinder. But he did not score again as Illawarra rotated defenders and strategies on him as Perth's substitution pattern once more became a thing of deep mystery.

Not so the Hawks. Coach Justin Tatum has every player knowing and fulfilling his role in the team's success.

Losing controversially to Melbourne United in the semi final series last season seems to have further galvanised Tatum's group which at one stage led the Wildcats by 38 points.

Meanwhile Bendigo, despite being down injured star Kelsey Griffin until recently, shot out of the WNBL blocks and was looking untouchable until, funnily enough, this round.

Being beaten by Perth Lynx, with which it is vying to be the No.1 team in the league this season, may not have been too far out of left field.

But today the Southside Flyers inflicted a stunning upset on the Spirit to reinforce any team is more than capable of securing a major scalp on any given night.

Beaten by Adelaide and struggling to overcome the loss of star players and injury absence of others, the Flyers drew a big game from championship pair Bec Cole (22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals) and Maddi Rocci (18 points, 3-of-5 threes, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals), putting themselves into a winning position with a blistering 25-11 third quarter.

Naz Hillmon (19 points at 80 per cent, 2-of-2 threes, 10 boards) continued to be Southside's rock, especially when Bendigo fought back in the final quarter.

The Spirit's WNBA import Veronica Burton swished a triple inside the final 10 seconds to bring Bendigo to 88-89, Tera Reed's two big free throws closing the door on a 91-88 Flyers win.

Burton delivered 31 points at 61 per cent and is one of the reasons Bendigo is still the clear championship favourite.

Olympians Sami Whitcomb and Marianna Tolo, warriors such as Griffin and Kelly Wilson, with players such as Abbey Wehrung and Casey Samuels - who killed it in NBL1 Central this past season - mean coach Kennedy Kereama has the makings of a championship outfit.

Who needs the big city markets?