Basketball On The Internet.

THE spotlight for Round 3 fell on the NBL’s two Victorian teams as Perth, Brisbane and Illawarra put their hands up as potential also-rans and seriously lacking in any form of contention for our Team of the Week.

In fact the Hawks even broke through as the season’s first Team of the Weak as Pi$$ - many saying they should have had one in Round 1 too – for their limp and super-soft crushing by Tasmania in Hobart.

The JackJumpers were looking for back2back Team of the Week honours, producing a 31-10 second quarter en route to a 30-point rout of the hapless Hawks.

But playing a fresh South East Melbourne which only had the one fixture, Tasmania fell to the Phoenix in a one-point thriller.

Missing interim import Tyler Cook, SEM had players stepping up, particularly at the defensive end where there was a rare 40-minute commitment.

Gary Browne starred with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and zero turnovers as the Phoenix looked sharp throughout.

Ultimately though, the Team of the Week honours fell to crosstown rival Melbourne United which showed it has a brand and identity which all stems from defence.

They shut down the Wildcats in Perth, then bounced back at home against Brisbane, leading by as many as 27 points before weathering the Bullets firing back.

Chris Goulding and Ian Clark were on the money and Shea Ili rediscovered his absent shooting touch but this is a team playing like one – a great sign so early in the year and with Jo Lual-Acuil still in the wings.

For the Hawks, pantsed in Hobart, they showed some grit early in Adelaide. But once the glare of the last quarter spotlight was at its sharpest, they folded along the dotted lines, outscored 35-20 to round out a seriously pathetic round as the league’s worst outfit ... currently.

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 1  Sydney Kings
Round 2  Tasmania JackJumpers
Round 3  Melbourne United

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEAK AS PI$$
Round 1  No Nominees
Round 2  No Nominees
Round 3  Illawarra Hawks