Three-time SBL and reigning Perth Lynx WNBL MVP Sami Whitcomb made her presence felt on return to the Rockingham Flames last week and she knows how important early Women's SBL seasons wins are for the back-to-back Champions.

The Flames began their quest in 2016 to win a third consecutive Women's SBL Championship losing a Grand Final rematch to the Willetton Tigers. But that was without not only Whitcomb but also Darcee Garbin and the still yet to arrive Ifunanya Ibekwe.

But Whitcomb and Garbin were back last week fresh off battling in the WNBL Grand Final between the Lynx and Townsville Fire, and the result was wins for Rockingham against the Joondalup Wolves and East Perth Eagles.

They now have a double-header in Week 3 starting on Saturday night against the Cockburn Cougars at Mike Barnett Sports Complex before also taking on the Kalamunda Eastern Suns at Ray Owen Recreation Centre on Sunday.

Week 3 of the Women's SBL season begins with three matches on Friday night with the Perth Redbacks hosting the South West Slammers, the Lakeside Lightning taking on the Perry Lakes Hawks and the Cockburn Cougars battling the Stirling Senators.

Then also on Saturday evening, the Stirling Senators back up against the Mandurah Magic while the East Perth Eagles host the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

With Whitcomb set to take a week off in the upcoming school holidays, Garbin to spend a significant time away and the Flames still unsure on the status of Ibekwe who had a strong season in the WNBL with the South East Queensland Stars, she knows how crucial early wins are.

That's why last week's victories over the Wolves and Eagles were so important, and why the games against the Cougars and Suns this weekend are crucial as they look to stay near the top of the standings.

"Early wins are important. We will lose Darcee for about eight weeks in about a month's time and we are supposed to be getting Ify but we just aren’t sure of the timeline with that as well," Whitcomb said on SBL Slam on SonshineFM.

"So we will be down to one import for a while so early wins with this group is really important and then hopefully we can create a bit of continuity with the girls off the bench so that when the other girls are back everyone is feeling good."

Having won the last three Women's SBL MVP awards and leading the Flames to two Championships, it was difficult to see how she could improve further.

But her performances for the Lynx were simply outstanding finishing runner-up in WNBL MVP voting and taking out the club's award for the Grand Final making season.

She has no doubt she has improved plenty as well after her time under the tutelage of Andy Stewart with the Lynx and hopes that translates now that she is back with the Flames for 2016.

"I think I improved defensively and we ran a different style to what we do here, so we had a lot more pressure defence and it was about getting rebounds, possessions, steals and things like that," she said.

"Hopefully I can bring some of that back here to the team but mostly hopefully I was able to work on some things offensively so I can be a little bit more efficient offensively come the SBL season."

Despite having played the whole WNBL season starting little over a month after long after last year's SBL Grand Final, Whitcomb isn’t interested in too much of a break during 2016. From games anyway.

"I'm going to go to Melbourne in the first week of the school holidays and do some camping along the Great Ocean Road, but other than that I will take a bit of a break from training but keep playing the games to get back into it for the girls," Whitcomb said.

WEEK 3 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Perth Redbacks v South West Slammers, Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre 6.30pm
Lakeside Lightning v Perry Lakes Hawks, Lakeside Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Cockburn Cougars v Stirling Senators, Wally Hagan Stadium 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Stirling Senators v Mandurah Magic, Warwick Stadium 6pm
East Perth Eagles v Kalamunda Eastern Suns, Morley Sport and Recreation Centre 6pm
Rockingham Flames v Cockburn Cougars, Mike Barnett Sports Complex 6.30pm

SUNDAY
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Rockingham Flames, Ray Owen Recreation Centre 12pm

Article by Chris Pike