Basketball On The Internet.

HOLD your horses if you’re booking flights to Port Hedland for the NBL PreSeaSon Tournament.

Yes, I know you quite possibly read it right here but that plan has hit a few hitches and everything is pointing to the new NBL re-launching with the tournament in Sydney on September 20-22.

At least that’s the impression I got, talking with NBL interim CEO Steve Dunn today at: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/basketball8217s-best-to-converge-in-nsw/story-fnii09gt-1226689606666

Here’s the thing though. Another haphazard tournament is something the league should avoid, putting in place a genuine format which, with eight teams and three games per team, should be extremely easy.

Firstly, last season’s final placings should be taken into account to create the opening night’s draw.

Just draw it up as 1v8 and 4v5 in one half of the draw, 2v7 and 3v6 in the other half.

What that would mean is New Zealand (1) would play Adelaide (8) and Sydney (4) play Melbourne (5) in one half of the draw.

Perth (2) would play Townsville (7) and Wollongong (3) play Cairns (6) in the other half.

Already there would be some marquee match-ups there with Sydney and Melbourne’s new point men going head-to-head, Shawn Dennis at the Crocs coaching against his former club, the two community-based clubs matched up.

The winners of 1v8 and 4v5 meet in a semi final, the losers in a consolation game.

Same in the other half where the winners of 2v7 and 3v6 clash to determine one grand finalist, the losers face off in a consolation game.

The final and positional playoffs are all then self-explanatory.

But, here’s the rub.

The NBL CEO or whoever the league employs as tournament commissioner, has the authority to rearrange those games involving any teams NOT in the Grand Final.

In other words, if say Sydney and Wollongong are scheduled to play “for 3rd” – and who really cares about positional playoff games at a preseason series? – but these two clubs already have played a few pre-season/exhibition/practice games against each other, the commissioner can just sit down and schedule them to play against someone else.

If Melbourne and Adelaide, for example, are drawn to play then, considering they will play each other twice in the preseason outside of the tournament, they can instead be scheduled to play, say, Townsville and Cairns respectively.

In simpler terms, Day Three  can follow the schedule as prepared but if clubs NOT IN THE FINAL want to alter their opponents, it is done.

So you have a tournament format and a tournament option.

And everyone should be happy.

IF you are wondering why BA still hasn’t released details of its new live TV deal with the ABC for WNBL games, my (e)mail is the wording is causing our federation a few nightmares.

After all, how hard is it for BA to say how good this new live-on-Saturdays deal is when last year it said fans were getting “the best deal ever” because they had a choice of live-on-the-web on Friday and highlights on Saturday?

It would be tough to call the new live-Saturday deal better now because it’s what we had going back two years!

Oh the dilemmas.

Anyway, while they sort that out, a reminder for WNBL fans they will get a live game each week this season.

If you are wondering which one, go have a squiz at the draw and see which game has the 3pm Saturday slot each week (occasionally 2pm, depending on the state).

Don’t say I never do anything for you!

WOLLONGONG is a step closer to completing its lineup, with Rotnei Clarke joining Gordie McLeod’s “magnificent seven” signings so far.

Had a bit about it here: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/wollongong-hawks-have-signed-import-rotnei-clarke/story-fnii0att-1226689550671

But again, Gordie has pulled another ace from his sleeve.

It is going to be another NBL point guard bonanza. So far we have Damian Martin, Gary Ervin, Stephen Dennis, Jesse Sanders, Rotnei Clarke, Steve Markovic and Jamar Wilson, with New Zealand still sweating on Cedric Jackson or looking to bring in someone similar.

Love seeing so many quality guardsmen but can clubs still make sure they bring in a few spectacular rim-rattlers so fans can leave venues gasping about some of the unprecedented athleticism they just saw?

WASN’T sure about this til it got a little deeper into the “story”. Then, must confess, I really warmed to it.

Check it out if you care for a laugh: http://tosh.comedycentral.com/video-clips/7s0un5/30-for-30-0---nerf-hoops---uncensored