Week 2 Men's SBL Quarter Final Preview
THE South West Slammers and Joondalup Wolves have two opportunities at home to advance to the 2015 men's semi finals this weekend while the Geraldton Buccaneers and Cockburn Cougars will need to win both home quarter-final battles to move through.
The Slammers and Wolves both won their Game 1 quarter-final match ups last weekend on the road to now need to win just one of potentially two matches at home this weekend leaving the Willetton Tigers and Perry Lakes Hawks needing two wins on the road to advance as the lower ranked teams.
Meanwhile, the Rockingham Flames and Goldfields Giants both won their home quarter finals last weekend leaving them requiring one road victory this week to go through to the semi finals, with the Cougars and Buccaneers needing to win both games at home to advance.
Two of the quarter-final Game 2 clashes will take place on Friday night starting at 7.30pm with the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers playing the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers at Eaton Recreation Centre, and then at 8pm the Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars taking on the Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames at Wally Hagan Stadium.
Both those Game 3's if they are required will then take place at the same venues on Saturday night.
The other two Game 2 match ups take place on Saturday night starting at 7.30pm when the S & K Electrical Geraldton Buccaneers host the Silver Lake Resources Goldfields Giants at Active West Stadium, and at 8pm the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves play the Perry Lakes Hawks at Joondalup Basketball Stadium.
Both Game 3's will then take place on Sunday afternoon if they are required.
Last weekend to open the playoffs for 2015, the Slammers beat the Tigers 90-83 at Willetton Basketball Stadium to leave a South West team who finished the regular season in third position in a good spot to advance with the sixth-ranked Tigers having work to do needing two road victories.
The Flames were able to score a home win last Saturday night beating the Cougars 91-82 in Game 1 meaning that Rockingham now needs to pinch one game at Wally Hagan Stadium this weekend to advantage, while Cockburn needs to win both to get through to the semi finals.
The Buccaneers might have finished the regular season in second position coming off being the minor premiers last year and making the grand final of 2014, but it was the Giants who won Game 1 last Saturday night in Kalgoorlie 104-101.
Goldfields has put together a tremendous second half of the season to make the playoffs led by Jacob Holmen, Jay Bowie and Mathiang Muo, and now the Giants need just one win in Geraldton this weekend to make the semi finals, while the Buccaneers must win both at home to advance.
The Wolves finished clear on top of the men's standings to claim the minor premiership for 2015 and they won Game 1 against the Hawks last Friday night at Bendat Basketball Centre, but it was a tremendous contest and a controversial finish as they won 86-85.
That now sets up a fascinating Game 2 on Saturday night at Joondalup Basketball Stadium, and if the Hawks are able to win that then a tremendous Game 3 on Sunday should result.
MEN'S SBL QUARTER-FINAL GAME 2'S
FRIDAY
Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers v Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers, Eaton Recreation Centre 7.30pm
Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars v Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames, Wally Hagan Stadium 8pm
SATURDAY
S & K Electrical Geraldton Buccaneers v Silver Lake Resources Goldfields Giants, Active West Stadium 7.30pm
Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves v Perry Lakes Hawks, Joondalup Basketball Stadium 8pm
MEN'S SBL QUARTER-FINAL GAME 3'S (IF REQUIRED)
SATURDAY
Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers v Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers, Eaton Recreation Centre 7.30pm
Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars v Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames, Wally Hagan Stadium 8pm
SUNDAY
S & K Electrical Geraldton Buccaneers v Silver Lake Resources Goldfields Giants, Active West Stadium 12pm
Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves v Perry Lakes Hawks, Joondalup Basketball Stadium 2pm
Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Serene Elise Photography
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