Last round Magic needed for top four finish (Round 19 WSBL Preview)
Mandurah Magic will be looking to salvage a top four spot in the women's State Basketball League by beating Total Connections Perry Lakes Hawks and Metropolis Fremantle Cockburn Cougars in the final round this weekend.
The Magic have spent most of the season in the top four but are battling with Glasscraft Wanneroo Wolves and Australian Central East Perth Eagles for third and fourth spot.
And Mandurah may drop to fifth, which would cost it home-court advantage for the quarter-finals, unless it can overcome the expected absence of star forward Tarsha Fletcher and win both its games.
The Magic's biggest test will be against Perry Lakes, which has guaranteed second spot by winning 17 of its past 19 games, but the seventh-placed Cougars will also be formidable opponents.
Wanneroo must beat 10th-placed Western Stainless Stirling Senators, as expected, and hope Mandurah loses at least once or East Perth loses both its games to finish in the top four.
And the Eagles will be assured of making the top four if they can beat at least one of minor premiers Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers or the struggling Perth Redbacks.
Perth's hopes of a seventh-straight appearance in the finals are over after defeats in their last three games and East Perth, which is on a seven-game winning streak, should be too strong for the Redbacks.
But Willetton, which will be desperate to bounce back from last week's loss to Perry Lakes, will be a tougher test.
The Tigers will also be looking to avenge their round eight loss to East Perth, which was one of only three defeats the defending champions have suffered this season.
Willetton will face Lakeside Lightning in the quarter-finals for the second-straight season and its southern suburbs rivals will be hoping to warm up for the playoffs with a comfortable win against the Southwest Slammers.
The Lightning can finish no higher than eighth after losing two of their past three games, but should be too good for the Slammers, who will finish 11th regardless of their result against Lakeside.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photo by Darren Speedie (Vision Inspired Photography)
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