Lightning, Magic, Wolves, Cougars look to close gap (Week 8 Women's SBL Preview)
WITH the unbeaten league-leading Rockingham Flames having a bye, Week 8 women's SBL action presents the chance for Lakeside, Mandurah, Joondalup and Cockburn to try to make up some ground.
The Orange Autos Rockingham Flames remain unbeaten in 2014 having won the opening nine matches of 2014, but they have the bye this weekend giving the chasing teams a chance to try and start making up some ground.
And with the fifth-placed Cougars having a double against the second-placed Lightning and fourth-placed Wolves, and then a sixth v seventh Stirling-Perry Lakes battle, it's sure to be a fascinating weekend of women's SBL action across Friday and Saturday night.
The round begins with two matches on Friday night with the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers taking on the Perth Redbacks at Eaton Recreation Centre.
The Cockburn Cougars then also take on the Lakeside Lightning at Wally Hagan Stadium.
Both Friday matches tip-off at 6.30pm.
The Slammers host the Redbacks in the battle of the bottom two women's SBL teams with both desperate to put an end to some disappointing losing runs.
South West started its season with a win over the Kalamunda Eastern Suns, but since has lost four matches to have just a 1-4 record while Perth remains last without a win from nine matches at an average losing margin of almost 30 points.
Friday night's other match pits the Cougars up against the Lightning with Cockburn coming into the contest having beaten East Perth last Thursday night to end a two-game losing run to improve to a 4-2 record in fifth position.
Meanwhile, Lakeside suffered just its first loss of the season last Sunday against Rockingham but remain in second spot in the standings with a 6-1 record.
There are then four matches on the Saturday night with the Joondalup Wolves facing the Cockburn Cougars at Joondalup Basketball Stadium, the Stirling Senators playing the Perry Lakes Hawks at Warwick Leisure Centre and the Willetton Tigers battling the Mandurah Magic at Willetton Basketball Stadium.
Those three matches all tip-off at 6pm and then at 6.30pm, the Kalamunda Eastern Suns play the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers at Ray Owen Sports Centre.
The Cougars back up facing Lakeside on Friday by taking on the defending champion Joondalup on Saturday.
The Wolves come into the contest having won three straight matches and will be looking to make it four straight to set up a tantalising match up with the Flames next Friday night.
The Senators also face the Hawks on Saturday night in what should be a fascinating contest with Stirling looking to snap a two-game losing slide and Perry Lakes out to win a third straight match.
Little separates the two teams so far this season, though, with the Hawks in sixth spot with a 4-3 record and the Senators are 2-3 in seventh.
Last year's minor premiers Willetton have had a poor start to the season having won just twice from seven matches including losing the last two games to currently sit in ninth spot.
The Tigers host the on-fire Magic on Saturday night with Mandurah currently on a four-game winning streak and a 6-2 record.
The final match of the round in women's SBL action sees the grand finalists from last year the Eastern Suns host a Slammers team hoping to come into the contest with some confidence having hosted the Redbacks on Friday night.
It has been a shaky start to the season so far for the Suns coming off last year's grand final appearance starting with losses to Cockburn and South West before a win over East Perth, loss to Stirling, win over Joondalup, loss to Lakeside, thrashing by Rockingham, thumping of Willetton and then a one-point thrilling loss to Mandurah last Saturday night.
WEEK 8 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers v Perth Redbacks, Eaton Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Cockburn Cougars v Lakeside Lightning, Wally Hagan Stadium 6.30pm
SATURDAY
Joondalup Wolves v Cockburn Cougars, Joondalup Basketball Stadium 6pm
Stirling Senators v Perry Lakes Hawks, Warwick Leisure Centre 6pm
Willetton Tigers v Mandurah Magic, Willetton Basketball Stadium 6pm
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers, Ray Owen Sports Centre 6.30pm
Article by Chris Pike
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