THE Lakeside Lightning have two chances to end their losing streak in Week 13 of the Men's SBL competition that also sees the Goldfields Giants looking to stop their drought and the Perry Lakes Hawks out to show their credentials at home to the defending champions.

The Lightning have now lost seven straight matches and the Giants six in succession meaning if they want to remain in the playoff hunt in the Men's SBL for 2016, they need strong weekends coming out of Monday's All-Star Game.

Lakeside has two chances to get back to winning up against the Willetton Tigers on Friday and then the East Perth Eagles on Sunday. Goldfields, meanwhile, host the in-form Perth Redbacks at Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium on Saturday night.

Other Men's SBL matches on Friday night see the Print Sync South West Slammers play the Perry Lakes Hawks and the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars host the Vorian Agency East Perth Eagles.

Then on Saturday night, the Kalamunda Eastern Suns host the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars, the Nags Head Tavern Rockingham Flames face the Bethanie Stirling Senators and the S&K Electrical Contracting Geraldton Buccaneers play the Mandurah Magic.

Lastly on Sunday, the Perry Lakes Hawks also play the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro City of Joondalup Wolves.

Lakeside enters the round on a disappointing seven-game losing streak. Again there were some good signs in last week's loss to the Cougars, but coach Sam Oatman was left lamenting the lapses that let Cockburn's powerful line-up take over.

"They took advantage of our 20 turnovers scoring 29 points off of them. Both teams shot pretty well. We just gave up way too much penetration, and our transition defence was really poor," Oatman said.

"TJ Hallice and Daniel Alexander’s scoring gave us a chance midway through the fourth, but we just couldn’t get stops when we needed them most. Gavin Field was tremendous for them as was Thomas, Lane, and Goode. They're a really solid team."

It gets no easier for the Lightning this weekend starting on Friday night against the Tigers at Lakeside Recreation Centre, and then Sunday against the Eagles at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

Oatman knows both teams will be tough with the Tigers looking to consolidate a top four spot and the Eagles out to break into the top eight since improving markedly with the arrivals of Tom Jervis and Sunday Dech, but he doesn’t feel a breakthrough win is too far away.

"It doesn’t get any easier for us as we host another top three team," Oatman said.

"We still believe we can play with anyone in this league, so this is another opportunity for us to prove that. Hopefully, we can rise to the challenge.

"It was a really hard fought game last time we faced East Perth, and we know they’ve only improved with a few roster changes. We expect this to be another battle."

As well as the Lightning hosting the Tigers on Friday, the Slammers take on the Hawks at Eaton Recreation Centre.

South West is now also on a seven-match losing run ahead of the clash with a Perry Lakes team sitting in eighth position at 8-8 following an impressive and dominant win at home by 26 points last Saturday night over the Tigers.

The Cougars host the Eagles at Wally Hagan Stadium in what is a fascinating contest. With the arrivals of Sunday Dech and Tom Jervis, and with Rhys Vague in ominous form, the Eagles are a real threat but at 6-9 they need to keep winning to stay in the playoff hunt.

Meanwhile, Cockburn is still eyeing off top spot at 12-3 and having won its last three matches including a 15-point win over the Lightning last Saturday night.

Then on Saturday night, as well as the Giants trying to end their losing run against a Redbacks team in seventh position at 8-7, the Buccs remain home for a second straight week to take on the Magic.

Mandurah is struggling for form and personnel having lost its last five games so Geraldton will be looking to take advantage and to potentially move back into the top four.

The Eastern Suns then host just their third night fixture at home for the season up against the Cougars. The Suns might be in last position, but they have won two of their last four matches and without question are showing signs of improvement.

Their fast-paced, full court pressure defence style of game mean that it's a tough 48 minutes to play against as well so the Cougars will need to have some energy left over from their game against the Eagles on Friday night.

The Flames also face the Senators at Mike Barnett Sports Complex on Saturday in a battle of two teams looking to break into the top four.

Rockingham dropped to sixth spot last week after losing to the Redbacks but could get back in there if the Flames improve on their 10-7 record. Stirling, meanwhile, currently does hold that fourth position having won three of its last four games including a tight win over the Slammers on Sunday.

Lastly on Sunday as well as the Eagles taking on the Lightning at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre, the Hawks host the Wolves at Bendat Basketball Stadium.

The Wolfpack have won their last four matches and lost just twice all season to remain on top of the standings buy if the Hawks want to consolidate a top eight spot and remain a chance of the top four it's a game they need to win.

Perry Lakes does come into the round with an 8-8 record and will have already played the Slammers in Eaton on Friday before taking on the Wolves on their home floor.

WEEK 13 MEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Lakeside Lightning v Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers, Lakeside Recreation Centre 8.30pm
Print Sync South West Slammers v Perry Lakes Hawks, Eaton Recreation Centre 8.30pm
Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars v Vorian Agency East Perth Eagles, Wally Hagan Stadium 8.30pm

SATURDAY
Silver Lake Resources Goldfields Giants v Texture WA Perth Redbacks, Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium 7.30pm
S&K Electrical Contracting Geraldton Buccaneers v Mandurah Magic, Active West Stadium 7.30pm
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars, Ray Owen Recreation Centre 8.30pm
Nags Head Tavern Rockingham Flames v Bethanie Stirling Senators, Mike Barnett Sports Complex 8.30pm

SUNDAY
Vorian Agency East Perth Eagles v Lakeside Lightning, Morley Sport and Recreation Centre 2pm
Perry Lakes Hawks v Merriwa Tavern & Bistro City of Joondalup Wolves, Bendat Basketball Centre 2pm

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin