MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy's View from Downunder) - It's that time of the year again, so Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year to everyone. While we're on a break, have a read of my favourite moments of Oceania basketball from 2014.

The Opals, Boomers, U17 Emus and Gems all competed in world tournaments, Steve Adams made is mark in the NBA, Chris Goulding had a season-long coming out party in the NBL and Dante Exum did his best Austin Powers impersonation as an international man of mystery.

There were many, many more great moments and achievements, but this week I count down from 10 to six, what do you think of this lot?

10. Belinda Snell nails 41 points for Bendigo
When the Opals hard nut returned to the WNBL I was fortunate enough to interview her for this story, and she joked that her league-record 54-point haul from 2005 might be in danger given the amount of talent in the competition this season. Turns out Snell is her own greatest danger, destroying a quality Sydney Uni Flames outfit with 41 points!

9. The Bendigo Spirit repeat
Nowhere in Australia gets behind professional women's basketball better than Bendigo, with their long-suffering national league team claiming their second-straight title last season in front of packed home crowd. WNBA veteran Kelsey Griffin was the star for the Spirit, holding off the Suzy Batkovic-led Townsville Fire in the greatest game of women’s club basketball I can remember.

8. Exum, Adams lead eight Aussies and Kiwis in NBA
There was nothing clearer at Spain 2014 than Dante Exum was a kid not ready for the highest level of international basketball, struggling even against Korea. But watching him slowly grow as he gets some solid court time for the Utah Jazz, there is no question he'll be ready soon enough. 

Steve Adams was the surprise packet of 2014 for many, providing an incredibly reliable big man presence of the bench for Oklahoma City when he was meant to be a future project. Already this season he's shown the ceiling is high, and that can only be great news for New Zealand.

Having Aussies and Kiwis in 'The Show' can only be a good thing for basketball Downunder, especially if one of the eight currently in the NBA can step up and really make an impact. 

7. Boomers beat Lithuania in a high-paced thriller
It was one of Australia's best single-game performances in a men's world competition. Beating Lithuania is a fantastic feat on its own, but the way the Boomers jumped the European powerhouse with aggression at both ends of the floor was truly special. 

After a withering, Joe Ingles-inspired first-half run, the Aussies then showed their true grit with a tough closeout in the final quarter, Nate Jawai making an unexpected cameo to provide the extra punch that was needed.

6. Patty Mills and San Antonio win the NBA championship
His incredible offensive outburst may have come when the game and series was already the San Antonio Spurs' for the taking, but Patty Mills' third quarter in Game 5 against the Miami Heat captured the Australian sporting public's attention like few other basketball stories in recent times. 

The fact Mills got himself into shape, fully immersed himself in the Spurs' team system on the court and made a genuine season-long contribution only added to the story. After being anchored to the bench last year, maybe Aron Baynes is on the cusp of a similar transformation.

*Next week, I count down from five to one, who do you think should be in there?

Paulo Kennedy

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