Basketball On The Internet.

CONSPICUOUS amid all the bellicose bliss of the AFL's announcement of a 19th club in Tasmania was the absence of any reference to the NBL's JackJumpers - the  success of which has sparked the unprecedented revival and interest in basketball on the island. The JJs already expressed support for the new AFL entity, but reciprocated?

Hardly. It's rare to see or hear a word about the Jackies in footy circles, even though since their arrival on the national sporting scene, interest in Tasmania by the AFL suddenly took a massive upswing.

Hey. Footy can't be losing all those young kids to basketball, right?

Coach Scott Roth and his charges have captured the imagination of Tasmania as no previous sporting entity has ever managed so to see the club extending its welcome to the AFL newbies is not only gracious but heart-warming.

It wasn't so long ago the AFL did its utmost to stifle the growth of the NBL. This time around it would be wise to seek the JackJumpers' counsel on just how to get it right.

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DANTE Exum had 11 points today for Partizan as it squandered a 15-point lead against Real Madrid to drop Game 3 of their Euroleague playoff series 80-82.

It took a career performance from Walter Tavares who came off an injury to dominate for Real with a career-high tying 26 points, along with 11 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 assists.

Partizan leads the series 2-1 with Game 4 also in Belgrade.

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THE recent financial woes of the WNBL under the auspices of Basketball Australia is nothing new.

Basketball administrative bodies are renowned for financial decision-making which leaves us ordinary punters scratching our noggins.

Take SA for instance. A few years a go a bucketload of money was frittered away on Basketball SA's so-called "House of Basketball". Instead of keeping its admin at Adelaide 36ers Arena, the ubiquitous House of Basketball was created to house the sport's administration in SA.

Don't interrupt now by asking: "Isn't BSA shifting to the new 'home of basketball' - a five-court venue at Wayville - soon?" because that only would further highlight the sheer folly of the House of Basketball.

And what a house it is, on a random corner of busy South Road. Imposing? Impressive? Stop you in your tracks? Make you think: "Wow! Basketball is on the move in SA?"

Hardly. The picture below is one corner of the building, still advertising the State Junior Basketball Championship ... of 2020.

And on the South Rd frontage? There are stacked cardboard boxes inside the front door. They've been there for months, making the place look akin to an old, deserted warehouse or factory that hasn't been fully cleaned out yet.

And we wonder why the game at grassroots level is in the state it is right now.

The way basketball is presented by its governing body in this state is a relentless embarrassment.

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CHAMPIONS League Basketball's Aussie 3X3 team at the FIBA World Tour opener in Utsunomiya, Japan found out just how tough the circuit is and will be.

The CLB team of Lucas Walker, Cooper Wilks, Mike Golding and Luke Jamieson came in 11th, the experience invaluable.

"The 3x3 World Tour is not easy. I’m grateful to still have opportunities to compete against the best in the world" Walker posted on Twitter after the gruelling tournament.

FINAL STANDINGS
1. Ub Huishan NE (SRB); 2. Antwerp TOPdesk (BEL); 3. Vienna (AUT); 4. Sansar MMC Energy (MGL); 5. Amsterdam HiPRO (NED); 6. Partizan (SRB); 7. Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU); 8. Utsunomiya BREX EXE (JPN); 9. Yokohama BeefmanEXE (JPN); 10. Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL); 11. Sydney CLBEXE (AUS); 12. Rosedale SwishEXE (NZL)
The FIBA 3x3 World Tour returns on May 20-21 with the Manila Masters.

IF the Perth Wildcats decide not to retain six-time NBL championship forward Jesse Wagstaff, the Adelaide 36ers should sweep on the 446-game veteran.

Wagstaff, at 37, is keen to continue and if out west isn't the place, across the Nullabor into SA would be very handy. No player has taken more charges in NBL history or could bring more experience into the Sixers' locker-room.

The Wildcats would be crazy not to offer him another season, but if they don't ...

Wagstaff has made a career of hitting threes and taking (and faking) charges. He would be an asset to any program.

ABOVE: Tim Coenraad successfully levitating fails to put Ben Ayre off his shot.