Defending champions Willetton suffer another loss (Round 19 WSBL Wrap)
Minor premiers Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers head into the women's State Basketball League finals in a mini form slump after losing 82-68 to Australian Central East Perth Eagles in the last round of the regular season.
Willetton's second-straight defeat was its heaviest of the season and the two-time defending champions will have to lift to overcome the in-form Lakeside Lightning, who they'll meet in the best-of-three quarter-finals series, which begins next weekend.
The Tigers were never in front after quarter-time as West Coast Waves forward Samantha Norwood (27 points) helped East Perth defeat the league leaders for the second time this season.
And East Perth secured a third-placed finish and extended its winning streak to nine games after beating Perth Redbacks 74-59 the next night.
The Eagles overcame a dominant performance from Redbacks centre Marita Payne (24 points and 20 rebounds) to book a quarter-finals match-up with Kalamunda Eastern Suns.
Kalamunda held onto sixth spot after Metropolis Fremantle Cockburn Cougars lost 79-68 to Mandurah Magic.
The Cougars needed to win to avoid facing Total Connections Perry Lakes Hawks in the first round of the playoffs but fell short as Casey Mihovilovich (19 points, nine assists and nine rebounds) led the Magic to their fourth-straight win, despite the best efforts of Cockburn's Emma Pass, who had 22 points.
Perry Lakes, which was already guaranteed to finish second, had several key players unavailable and lost 63-52 to Mandurah, which saw the Magic finish fourth.
Shelly Boston top-scored for the Magic with 19 points, while Belinda O'Halloran also had 19 points in Perry Lakes' fifth loss of the season.
Mandurah's opponents in the quarter-finals will be Glasscraft Wanneroo Wolves, who missed out on a top four spot and finished fifth despite their 87-48 thrashing of Western Stainless Stirling Senators.
Rebecca Mercer had 24 points to help Wanneroo to its third-straight win, while Michelle Joy had 21 points for the Senators, who finished 10th.
And Lakeside warmed up for the finals with a comfortable 86-66 win against Southwest Slammers.
The Lightning were already assured of finishing eighth but were far too strong for the 11th-placed Slammers, with import Heidi McNeill leading them to victory with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photo by Grant Lauterbach
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