TWO wins in less than 24 hours has locked the Joondalup Wolves team firmly in a battle over top spot in the women's SBL with the defending champion Rockingham Flames while the Mandurah Magic kept themselves in touch with the top two as well.

The Lady Wolfpack recorded strong wins over both the Stirling Senators and Lakeside Lightning on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon respectively in Week 11 action to to remain only narrowly behind the defending champion Rockingham Flames.

The Mandurah Magic also scored a win on Friday night over the South West Slammers to remain in touch and as do the Willetton Tigers despite having the Week 11 bye.

The four women's matches on Friday night in the SBL saw some fascinating results with the Kalamunda Eastern Suns beating the Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars 83-55 at Wally Hagan Stadium and the Schweigen East Perth Eagles defeating the Lakeside Lightning 78-64 at Lakeside Recreation Centre.

The Orange Autos Rockingham Flames also beat the Perth Redbacks 80-71 at Curtin Stadium and the Mandurah Magic defeated the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers 78-69 at Eaton Recreation Centre.

There was then the one women's contest on Saturday night, and it saw the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves beat the Stirling Senators 87-58 at Warwick Leisure Centre.

The Sunday afternoon action saw just the one women's fixture as well at Joondalup Basketball Stadium with the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves defeating the Lakeside Lightning 96-58.

Following Week 11 of the 2015 women's SBL season, the defending champion Orange Autos Rockingham Flames (11-1) remain on top of the standings but only just ahead of the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves (11-2), Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers (10-2) and Mandurah Magic (10-3).

The Perry Lakes Hawks (6-5) are then in fifth spot ahead of the Kalamunda Eastern Suns (6-5), Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars (6-8) and the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers (5-7).

Outside the top eight are the Schweigen East Perth Eagles (3-9), Perth Redbacks (3-10), Stirling Senators (2-10) and Lakeside Lightning (1-12).

There were again a host of outstanding individual performances right across the weekend starting on Friday night with Jessie Edwards leading the way for the Eastern Suns with 20 points and 12 rebounds while Melissa Moyle also worked hard to finish the night with 17 points, 10 boards and three steals.

Thea Lemberger contributed 15 points, seven assists and four rebounds as well for the Suns while Rebecca Motroni added 14 points and Abbey Duinker 14 (10 rebounds, five assists).

Playing-coach Deanna Smith top-scored for the Cougars with 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds with Katie Loberg adding 14 points and five boards.

Kelsey Maffin led the way for the Eagles finishing the evening with 19 points with Dannielle Devenny adding 14 points, five rebounds and five assists while Nicole Jorre St Jorre contributing 12 points, four boards, three assists and three steals.

Megan Craig top-scored for the Lightning with 23 points and five rebounds while Ashleigh Grant contributed 10 points and eight boards and Courtney Byrnes seven points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Darcee Garbin had a monster night for the Flames with 39 points and 12 rebounds while Jacinta Bourne contributed 11 points and seven boards, and Samantha Whitcomb 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Gaby Clayton top-scored for the Redbacks with 22 points and seven assists while Jess Jakens contributed 20 points, 12 boards and four assists. Gabby O'Sullivan also added seven points and six assists for Perth.

Casey Mihovilovich again led the way for the Magic as she continues yet another outstanding season. On Friday night, she finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and three assists while Ashlee Sidebottom added 17 points and four boards.

Peyton Davis added 14 points and 15 rebounds as well for Mandurah with Rachel Halleen contributing eight points and four assists.

Patricia Bright top-scored for the Slammers with 19 points to go with her 16 rebounds while Kate Fielding added 18 points, eight assists and seven boards. Deonica McCormick also had 12 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for South West.

Then on Saturday night, Nikita-Lee Martin top-scored for the Lady Wolfpack with 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists while shooting 7-of-13 from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point territory.

Rebecca Mercer added 15 points, five assists and four rebounds while Casey Lockwood contributed 14 points off the bench.

Ellyce Ironmonger finished with 10 points and six rebounds as well for Joondalup while Alex Kerr contributed eight points and five rebounds.

Amber Land produced a double-double in the defeat for the Senators finishing with 14 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

Cassie Bates added 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists as well for Stirling while Tegan Walker added 11 points and five boards. Fiona Madden added eight points and five rebounds as well.

And finally on Sunday afternoon, Rebecca Mercer led the way for the Wolves in the win over the Lightning finishing with 22 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals while shooting 6-of-12 from the floor, 4-of-7 from three-point territory and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.

Shani Amos also had a triple-double for Joondalup ending the afternoon with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while shooting 5-of-9 from the field, and 2-of-4 from downtown.

Alex Kerr and Amy Kidner both added 12 points apiece for the Lady Wolfpack off the bench with Casey Lockwood also adding 10 points while Chelsea Burns pulled in 12 rebounds and dished out six assists, and Ellyce Ironmonger had seven points and 12 boards.

Tia Ucich top-scored for the Lightning off the bench with 14 points to go with five rebounds and five assists with Megan Craig contributing 12 points, Ashleigh Grant and Amanda Pether nine. Tiahrn Flynn also added three points, six rebounds and four assists for Lakeside.

FRIDAY WOMEN'S SBL MATCHES
Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars 55 lost to Kalamunda Eastern Suns 83
Lakeside Lightning 64 lost to Schweigen East Perth Eagles 78
Perth Redbacks 71 lost to Orange Autos Rockingham Flames 80
Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers 69 lost to Mandurah Magic 78

SATURDAY WOMEN'S SBL MATCHES
Stirling Senators 58 lost to Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves 87

SUNDAY WOMEN'S SBL MATCHES
Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves 96 defeated Lakeside Lightning 58

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Serene-Elise Photography