Tigers ready to pounce (Round 18 WSBL Preview)
Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers can guarantee top spot on the women's State Basketball League ladder when they meet Total Connections Perry Lakes Hawks in Saturday's top-of-the-table clash.
The Tigers are three wins ahead of the second-placed Hawks with two rounds to go and victory for the two-time defending champions, or even a loss by less than by less than 15 points, will be enough to secure the minor premiership.
But Perry Lakes will be playing for more than the chance to finish first, as it will also be out for revenge following its loss to Willetton in last year's Grand Final, and to gain more confidence ahead of a possible rematch in this year's title decider.
The Hawks also meet Rockingham Flames on Friday and should prove far too strong.
Rockingham has won just twice all season and wraps up its disastrous year against the Hawks, who will wrap up a top two spot with wins in both their games this weekend.
Mandurah Magic will be looking to consolidate their spot in the top four with victory against the in-form Lakeside Lightning.
The Lightning have all but guaranteed a spot in the finals with wins in four of their past five games, but Mandurah will be desperate to win to help it see off the challenge of Glasscraft Wanneroo Wolves and Australian Central East Perth Eagles for a top four spot.
Wanneroo should help its cause with a comfortable victory against the Perth Redbacks, whose finals hopes will be mathematically over if they lose or Lakeside beats Mandurah.
And East Perth, which has won five-straight, should be too good for Southwest Slammers, who sit second last and have won just one of their past 18 games.
But the Eagles should face a tougher test against Kalamunda Eastern Suns on Friday.
The sixth-placed Suns lost to Willetton 84-63 in a rescheduled game on Tuesday and will be looking to get back to the form which had seen them win four of their past five games.
Kalamunda also faces the seventh-placed Metropolis Fremantle Cockburn Cougars, who should end their three-game losing streak when they host the Slammers on Friday.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photo by Darren Speedie (Vision Inspired Photography)
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