Upset wins for Suns, Slammers (Women's Wrap)
THE Rockingham Flames, South West Slammers, Wanneroo Wolves and Kalamunda Eastern Suns all won their opening game of their quarter-final women's SBL series' on the weekend.
The action began on Friday night with just the one match and that saw last year's grand finalists the Rockingham Flames downing the Cockburn Cougars 105-89 at Wally Hagan Stadium.
Rockingham finished the regular season in second position and now are in control of the series against the seventh-ranked Cougars ahead of Game 2 on Friday night with the third game to be played on Saturday if Cockburn is able to pull off the upset on Friday.
Then on Saturday night, the defending champion Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers upset the Willetton Tigers in a thriller 67-65 at Eaton Recreation Centre with the Wanneroo Wolves downing the Stirling Senators 84-59 at Warwick Leisure Centre and then the Kalamunda Eastern Suns beat the Lakeside Lightning 65-62.
The Slammers might have been the eighth seeds going into their best of three series on the weekend but the defending champions were never going to be easy for the No. 1 seed Willetton to get past.
The Slammers scored the overtime victory at home over the Tigers on Saturday to now set up an intriguing weekend starting on Friday at the Willetton Basketball Stadium before Game 3 on Saturday at the same venue if required.
The Wanneroo Wolves scored the big win of the weekend thumping the Stirling Senators 84-59 with the Wolves making a big statement after finishing the regular season third in the standings despite being on top for a lot of the campaign.
Game 2 will now be played on Saturday night at the Joondalup Basketball Stadium with the third game on Sunday if the Senators are able to pull off the upset on Saturday.
The Kalamunda Eastern Suns then became the second lower-ranked team of the weekend to win downing the Lakeside Lightning 65-62. Game 2 will be on Friday night at Lakeside Recreation Centre and on Saturday for the decider if required.
There were some star individual performances over the weekend highlighted by Samantha Whitcomb's effort on Friday for Rockingham with 28 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Jacinta Bourne also added 19 points with Darcee Garbin returning from injury to score 16 points.
Chelsea Evans did all she could for the Cougars finishing with 28 points with Emma Pass adding 18 points to go with her 10 rebounds.
Kimberly Sitzmann led the way for the Slammers with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists with Dannielle Smith adding 17 points and 10 boards. Lisa Wallbutton had 21 points and 20 rebounds for the Tigers with Antonia Edmondson adding 26 points, seven assists and five boards.
Nikita-Lee Martin led the way for the Wolves with 22 points with Ainsleigh Sanders adding 15 points, 11 boards and five blocked shots, and Shani Amos 14 points, five assists and four rebounds. Lyndal Gardner had 14 points for Stirling and Amber Land 11 points, 10 boards and four assists.
Melissa Moyle top-scored for Kalamunda with 15 points to go with seven rebounds with Courtney Byrnes finishing with 17 points for Lakeside.
Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Serene Maisey (Serene Elise Photography)
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