ROCKINGHAM, South West, Wanneroo and Kalamunda all enter the second week of the women's quarter-final match-ups looking to wrap up their series and advance through to the next round in the finals.

The Rockingham Flames beat the Cockburn Cougars last weekend with the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers downing the Willetton Tigers, Wanneroo Wolves thumping the Stirling Senators and the Kalamunda Eastern Suns beating the Lakeside Lightning.

That means that the Flames, Slammers, Wolves and Senators can move straight through to the semi finals with a win in their respective Game 2's this weekend or their series will move to a do-or-die Game 3 also this weekend.

The Game 2 action tips off this weekend on Friday night with the Rockingham Flames hosting the Cockburn Cougars at Mike Barnett Sports Complex.

Also on Friday, the Lakeside Lightning hosts the Kalamunda Eastern Suns at Lakeside Recreation Centre and the Willetton Tigers take on the South West Slammers at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

The only Game 2 to be played on Saturday night features the Wanneroo Wolves hosting the Stirling Senators at Joondalup Basketball Stadium.

When the Flames host the Cougars the home side will be looking to back up the form from last Friday's 105-89 win at Wally Hagan Stadium.

The Flames made last year's grand final and finished the 2013 regular season in second position so now will be confident of advancing to the semi finals especially with Samantha Whitcomb coming off 28 points on 5-of-10 three-point shooting last Friday.

However, the Cougars have plenty of talent with Chelsea Evans, Emma Pass, Stephanie Jones and Kate Fielding and will be out to at least force a Game 3 that will also be played at Mike Barnett Sports Complex on Saturday.

The biggest upset last weekend came when the eighth-placed Slammers beat the minor premiers Tigers in a thriller 67-65 at Eaton Recreation Centre.

However, South West isn’t just any eighth-seed being the defending champions and having the likes of Kimberly Sitzmann, Dannielle Smith, Zoe Harper, Kara Hargreaves and Lauren Jeffers in their line-up.

The Tigers finished the regular season on fire, though, to secure top spot but last week were without Melissa Marsh due to work commitments and she will return this weekend for Game 2 on Friday and then if Willetton wins, Game 2 also at Willetton Basketball Stadium on Saturday night.

The Suns also won somewhat of an upset last Saturday beating the Lightning 65-62 at Ray Owen Sports Centre as the lower-ranked team, but the fifth versus fourth battle was always going to be a tight one.

Game 2 between the Suns and Lightning will be at Lakeside Recreation Centre on Friday with Game 3 on Saturday night if the Lightning is able to secure the win on Friday.

The blowout of the opening week of the playoffs came with the Wolves beating the Senators 84-59 at Warwick Leisure Centre meaning Wanneroo will be full of confidence heading into Game 2 at Joondalup Basketball Centre on Saturday.

If the Senators are able to pull that win off, Game 3 will be played also at Joondalup on Sunday.

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin