STIRLING Senators coach Glenn Clarke is confident his team can break into the Women's SBL playoffs but not winning both legs of their Week 16 double-header against the Perry Lakes Hawks and East Perth Eagles would make it difficult.

The Senators currently sit in 10th position with a 5-11 record having lost their last three matches but Clarke likes the look of his team's run home and is confident he will lead his team to the playoffs in his first season in charge.

They need to start winning, though, and it needs to happen this Friday night against the fourth placed Hawks and then on Saturday night against the one-win Eagles.

If the Senators do win both games then they are right back in the hunt and their cause could be further helped this weekend if the Magic lose to the Redbacks, the Cougars go down to the Flames and the Eastern Suns come up short against the Lady Wolfpack.

It all leads into a fascinating Week 16 of action in the Women's SBL starting on Friday night with the Bethanie Stirling Senators playing the Perry Lakes Hawks at Warwick Stadium and the Texture WA Perth Redbacks taking on the Mandurah Magic at Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre.

Then on Saturday night, the Schweigen Home Appliances East Perth Eagles play the Bethanie Stirling Senators, the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars take on the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames, and the P&J Financial Solutions Kalamunda Eastern Suns tackle the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves.

And on Sunday, the Perry Lakes Hawks face the Print Sync South West Slammers and the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves battle the Schweigen Home Appliances East Perth Eagles.

The Senators' double-header this weekend begins on Friday against the Hawks before facing the Eagles on Saturday. Clarke remains confident of making the playoffs but those hopes will likely come down to how they perform this weekend.

"I reckon we'll make it because we have the road coming through that's good for us. We know we've got a couple of teams we know we can beat," Clarke said.

"We have a double-header this week and if we can get that, we are up and running. We've already got the head-to-head with two teams around us so we could still end up in sixth because of that if we get up to eighth."

Friday night's other game has playoff implications as well when the Redbacks host the Magic. Perth currently sits in fifth spot at 8-8 while Mandurah is now up to seventh at 7-8 having improved dramatically since the return of Casey Mihovilovich.

The winner out of the Redbacks-Magic clash will further close in on booking in a playoff spot while a loss leaves them vulnerable to the chasing Cougars and Senators.

Then on Saturday night as well as the Senators playing the Eagles, the Cougars face a huge task to try and overcome the Flames to break back into the top eight.

Cockburn has lost its last couple to fall to ninth at 7-9 and now to return to the top eight the Cougars have to find a way to overcome a Rockingham team who has Sami Whitcomb, Darcee Garbin and Ifunanya Ibekwe now up and running, and playing together.

The Eastern Suns also have a big test against the league-leading Lady Wolfpack. A win for the Suns would see them consolidate a playoff spot but it will be tough against a Wolves team on top with a 13-2 record and who needs to keep winning to hold off the Tigers and Flames.

On Sunday, the Hawks will back up their clash with the Senators on Friday by hosting the Slammers. South West might have just two wins for the season but those have come in the last five games so they are more competitive than 2-14 suggests.

Also on Sunday, it's top against bottom as Joondalup hosts East Perth with the Wolves having played the Suns on Saturday, and the Eagles coming off hosting the Senators the previous night as well.

WEEK 16 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Bethanie Stirling Senators v Perry Lakes Hawks, Warwick Stadium 6.30pm
Texture WA Perth Redbacks v Mandurah Magic, Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Schweigen Home Appliances East Perth Eagles v Bethanie Stirling Senators, Morley Sport and Recreation Centre 6pm
Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars v Orange Autos Rockingham Flames, Wally Hagan Stadium 6pm
P&J Financial Solutions Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves, Ray Owen Recreation Centre 6.30pm

SUNDAY
Perry Lakes Hawks v Print Sync South West Slammers, Bendat Basketball Centre 12pm
Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves v Schweigen Home Appliances East Perth Eagles, Joondalup Basketball Stadium 12pm

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin