THE last round of the 2014 SBL regular season takes place this Friday and Saturday night with the Senators, Cougars, Magic, Tigers, Slammers and even the Redbacks all with plenty of reasons to win.

The top four of the women's standings is set with the Rockingham Flames, Lakeside Lightning, Joondalup Wolves and Kalamunda Eastern Suns all sitting pretty.

However, the bottom half of the top eight is then anything but secure with the Stirling Senators, Cockburn Cougars and Mandurah Magic all fighting over fifth spot still while and Willetton Tigers and South West Slammers can both finish eighth.

Then at the foot of the table, the Perth Redbacks could still avoid the wooden spoon with a win on the weekend if the East Perth Eagles also lose a 16th straight match.

There are three women's SBL matches on Friday night to open the final round of the regular season with the Lakeside Lightning playing the Joondalup Wolves at Lakeside Recreation Centre, the Mandurah Magic facing the Willetton Tigers at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre, and the Stirling Senators battling the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames at Warwick Leisure Centre.

All three Friday night clashes tip-off at 6.30pm.

The Lightning and Wolves are guaranteed of their positions heading into their clash on Friday night but neither will want to head into the playoffs with a defeat, particularly with momentum and bragging rights on the line if the teams then play off again during the finals.

Lakeside currently sits in second position in the standings with an 18-3 record and an eight-match winning streak to have a top two finish secure while Joondalup is safe in third position with a 15-6 record as the defending women's champions.

The Lightning won the opening clash with the Wolves this season winning 78-64 back in Week 16 at Joondalup Basketball Stadium.

The Magic have been on a disappointing three-game losing slide heading into their first of two matches this weekend on Friday night when they host the Tigers.

Mandurah's playoff spot is safe despite the losing run but the Magic have now slipped to an 11-9 record to be in seventh position.

However, a win on Friday over Willetton and the South West Slammers on Saturday could still see the Magic end up in fifth position by the end of the weekend depending on how the Stirling Senators and Cockburn Cougars fare this weekend.

The Tigers, meanwhile, now sit in eighth position with an 8-12 record having won three of their last four matches but they do need to win one of their two games this weekend against the Magic or Redbacks to hold out the ninth-placed Slammers.

The Magic and Tigers met earlier this season in Week 8 with Mandurah winning that encounter comfortably 90-67 at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

The Senators can just about lock away fifth position in the standings heading into the playoffs with a win on Friday night, but that's not going to be easy against the top-of-the-table Flames.

Stirling has won one of its last four matches to now sit on a 12-9 record to only just be holding its fifth position while Rockingham remains on top of the standings on 19-2, but both its losses this season have come in the Flames' last four matches.

Rockingham and Stirling last met in Week 13 this season with the Flames winning over the Senators 72-60 at Mike Barnett Sports Complex.

The three matches on Saturday night then all tip-off at 6pm when the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers take on the Mandurah Magic at Eaton Recreation Centre, the Soprano Lady Cougars play the Schweigen East Perth Eagles at Wally Hagan Stadium and the Willetton Tigers face the Perth Redbacks at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

The Slammers could still be a chance to make the playoffs entering Saturday's clash at home to the Magic in a match that could have plenty, or little, riding on it depending on what happens on Friday.

The only hope South West has of making the playoffs is to beat Mandurah on Saturday and to hope that Willetton loses to both the Magic and Redbacks on the weekend.

The Slammers currently sit on a 7-14 record in ninth position and on a four-game losing streak while Mandurah enters the clash having already played the Tigers on Friday, and the Magic could either be a chance still for fifth position or destined to finish seventh by tip-off time on Saturday.

The Slammers and Magic met earlier this season in Week 6 and it was a close encounter on that occasion with Mandurah winning over South West 87-82 at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre.

The Cougars are on a four-game winning streak entering Saturday night's clash with the Eagles who have now lost 15 consecutive matches.

Cockburn currently sits in sixth position on a 12-9 record and could still finish fifth if the Stirling Senators lose to the Rockingham Flames on Friday night.

East Perth, meanwhile, could still finish last if it loses to Cockburn and Perth somehow manages to upset Willetton also on Saturday night.

Cockburn and East Perth last played this season in Week 7 with the Cougars winning that clash 75-60 at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

The Tigers could have a playoff spot secured or still need to win on Saturday depending on how they go on Friday against the Magic as they get set to host the last-placed Redbacks.

Willetton enters the weekend in eighth position on an 8-12 record and needing to win just one of its two matches this weekend to guarantee a playoff berth.

Perth, meanwhile, is still on the bottom but can escape the wooden spoon with its third win of the season with the Redbacks' two wins so far coming in their past three games.

The two teams played earlier this season in Week 4 with the Tigers winning that clash 73-47 over the Redbacks at Belmont Oasis.

WEEK 20 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Lakeside Lightning v Joondalup Wolves, Lakeside Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Mandurah Magic v Willetton Tigers, Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Stirling Senators v Orange Autos Rockingham Flames, Warwick Leisure Centre 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers v Mandurah Magic, Eaton Recreation Centre 6pm
Soprano Lady Cougars v Schweigen East Perth Eagles, Wally Hagan Stadium 6pm
Willetton Tigers v Perth Redbacks, Willetton Basketball Stadium 6pm

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Deprimo Photography