Basketball On The Internet.

MARK Worthington plays his 300th game tonight, ironically against the team he was MVP with last season and driving his new club's quest to reach the playoffs.

The man known as Wortho steadily has shown Cairns how important he is and what a key signing he's been by consistently wracking up stats in whatever area the Taipans have needed him - point, rebounds, assists.

But it's where he doesn't actually show any stats Wortho is most reliable and effective - at the defensive end and as the blueprint for toughness.

He's been getting that done with NBL teams in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Melbourne for years, and gave the Australian Olympic team that same boost when the Boomers were lamenting the retirement of Andrew Vlahov.

Who would replace the Hoff and take on assignments such as Brazil's scoring superstar Oscar Schmidt in the future?

Well, the answer was pretty simple - Wortho.

I was lucky enough to first meet him at a preseason Blitz long ago, funnily enough in Cairns and it was easy to like his brutal honesty and sense of humour.

Put those together with his no-nonsense playing ability, his legacy as the successor to Vlahov was cemented.

But probably what I admire most about this unique athlete is the fact he isn't afraid.

By that I mean, when someone such as our Aussie basketball icon Andrew Gaze comes out and says the NBL should go into hiatus, Wortho is the first to get on the front foot and say that's not in the sport's best interests at all.

He has the courage of his convictions and let the dust settle where it may.

That quality naturally appeals to my journalistic instincts and he'd have made a great journo, a path that possibly may still exist post playing career, as it did for former Hawk, Cannon and King, Tim Morrissey.

Universally respected and despite playing stints overseas, his arrival at the 300-game milestone is wonderful testament to his great and committed career.

What you see is what you get with Wortho - the no BS, quintessential Aussie bloke, mischievous but never malevolent, who leaves it all out there on the hardwood every time.

I salute this champion's achievement.

NBL RANKINGS This Wk-Prev (Record)

8 (8) KINGS 5-16 - And the good news for Smokin' Joe? He gets to go to Perth next.

7 (6) CROCODILES 7-14 - Will be confident about 36ers but aren't playing 40 minutes.

6 (3) BREAKERS 11-8 - Slumping and desperately in need of a split, at worst, this round.

5 (4) UNITED 14-7 - Appear to be on their way back but Cairns will be a twin test.

4 (2) WILDCATS 13-8 - A three-game losing skid? What the? Sydney had best beware.

3 (7) TAIPANS 9-11 - Making their run now and looking good doing it. Need consistency.

2 (5) 36ERS 10-9 - Three-win streak the current best but have Townsville demons to exorcise.

1 (1) HAWKS 12-8 - Still the form team and can do NZ serious psychological damage.

THIS WEEK'S TIPS

CAIRNS is on a roll at home and again has had ample opportunity this week to devise a gameplan to undo Melbourne's confidence. Mark Worthington has been a huge pickup for the Taipans and in his milestone game - appropriately against his former club - expect the Orangemen to put the squeeze on.

ILLAWARRA twice has (man)handled New Zealand now and, at home, there's no real reason to believe the Breakers can avert the hat-trick. While the Hawks last round were torching Sydney, New Zealand was losing at home to Adelaide, hardly encouraging form coming into this.

FUNNY things can happen on a flight south, such as Dean Demopoulos and his team of assistants coming up with a plan to reverse a loss in Cairns. If United is to have a serious title run, at home it must beat the Taipans and, barring accident in the first encounter, that is the likely outcome.

ON its worst losing skid - three games - this century, Perth at home should give an occasionally disconsolate Sydney something of a belting. Wearing uniforms made famous by men such as Vlahov, Crawford, Ellis and Fisher, the Wildcats must bounce back and show some toughness. Expect it.

HOW far in front is far enough in front? Last time, 15 points up and inside the last four minutes, Adelaide managed to lose in Townsville as the Crocs conjured some old-time magic and self-belief for the comeback win of the season. Both teams are in different places now, the Crocs' finals dream gone, Adelaide's alive. That should get the 36ers across the line.

IF New Zealand loses to Illawarra for a fourth time, and at home, the psychological damage on the Breakers going into the playoffs and potentially facing the Hawks would be enormous. For that reason alone, this becomes a "must win" for the Breakers, presuming they lost the encounter in Wollongong. If they won at the Sandpit, well that alters the dynamic again.

KNOCK KNOCK

Who's there?

Kanye

Kanye who?

Can ye guess who Joe Connelly bagged this week?

No? Then ...

KNOCK KNOCK

Who's there?

Marcus

Marcus who?

How soon they forget.