Mandurah trying for first title as playoffs begin (WSBL Finals Week One Preview)
Mandurah Magic will be looking to end several years of heartbreak and win their first championship when the women's State Basketball League playoffs commence this weekend.
The Magic have made four of the past eight Grand Finals and will be desperate to break through for a title, but first they must beat Glasscraft Wanneroo Wolves in the best-of-three quarter-finals series.
Mandurah heads to Joondalup Basketball Stadium for game one of the series on Saturday, before games two and three take place at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre the next weekend.
The Wolves, who finished with just one fewer win than Mandurah, will be tough opponents though, having won their past three games and nine of their 11 matches at home this season.
Reigning champions Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers must recover from a two-game losing skid to beat Lakeside Lightning in their quarter-finals series.
The southern suburbs rivals meet in the first round of the finals for the second-straight season and again the Tigers will start as strong favourites, despite suffering their heaviest loss of the season last weekend.
But Lakeside has won six of its past eight games at home and should provide Willetton with a tough contest in game one at Lakeside Recreation Centre on Saturday.
Australian Central East Perth Eagles will be looking to continue their dominant form with victory against Kalamunda Eastern Suns.
The Eagles finished third after winning their last nine games and will start as heavy favourites against the Suns at on Saturday.
East Perth won comfortably when the sides met two weeks ago, but Kalamunda has won its past four games at home and will fancy its chances of causing an upset.
Total Connections Perry Lakes Hawks begin their series against the struggling Metropolis Fremantle Cockburn Cougars at Wally Hagan Stadium on Friday.
Cockburn has lost five of its past six games and faces a huge challenge to upset the Hawks, who had won 17 of their past 19 matches before losing to Mandurah last weekend.
Key players Tanya Kelly and Gabriella Clayton are expected to return for the Hawks after missing the clash with the Magic.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photo by Darren Speedie (Vision Inspired Photography)
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