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ROUND 14 in the Women’s SBL includes the Rockingham Flames trying to hold off challenges from the Mandurah Magic and Kalamunda Eastern Suns on back-to-back nights while the weekend concludes with a tantalising Sunday battle between the Stirling Senators and Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

The Round 14 action in the Women’s SBL begins with four critical contests on Friday night including the Perry Lakes Hawks playing the Willetton Tigers at Bendat Basketball Centre in a rematch of last year’s semi-final battle.

The Perth Redbacks are also hosting the Joondalup Wolves at Belmont Oasis, the Lakeside Lightning take on the Cockburn Cougars at Lakeside Recreation Centre and the Rockingham Flames host the Mandurah Magic at Mike Barnett Sports Complex.

There are then two matches on Saturday night with the South West Slammers facing the East Perth Eagles at Eaton Recreation Centre and the Kalamunda Eastern Suns playing the Rockingham Flames at Ray Owen Sports Centre.

The round concludes on Sunday afternoon at Warwick Stadium with the seventh placed Stirling Senators hosting the fifth placed Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

SATURDAY NIGHT WOMEN’S SBL RECAP – WEEK 13 
FISHER FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING EAGLES WITH BIG PICTURE IN MIND 

The Round 14 Women’s SBL action begins on Friday night with the Lady Hawks hosting the Tigers.

Perry Lakes had a horror start to its championship defence losing nine of its first 10 games, but they have got going since then winning four straight and they could even end this weekend inside the top eight with a win on their home floor on Friday night.

The Hawks did beat Willetton in the semi finals last year on the way to the championship but the Tigers team of 2018 is playing well sitting in third position with a 10-4 record and they will want to keep winning to stay in touch with Rockingham in second spot, and maintain their hold on a top four position.

Also on Friday night, the Redbacks take on the Lady Wolfpack at Belmont Oasis in a game between two teams with vastly contrasting fortunes so far in 2018.

Perth Lynx gun Kayla Standish was on fire two weeks for the Redbacks earning Player of the Round honours following 27 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists against the Kalamunda Eastern Suns prior to the bye last week.

She’ll look to continue that form on Friday night at home to the Wolves with the Redbacks entering the round in fourth position with a 10-4 record.

It looks to be a tough ask for a Joondalup team who has now lost eight straight matches to be 4-11 in second last position and during last Friday night’s 20-point loss to Cockburn, they were without Shani Amos, Ellyce Ironmonger, Nikita Martin and coach Craig Friday.

The league-leading Lightning put their winning run on the line on Friday night as well playing host to the Cougars at Lakeside Recreation Centre.

Lakeside remains clear on top of the Women’s SBL standings with a 14-1 record and a six-game winning streak since losing to the Redbacks.

They take on a Cougars team coming off a 20-point win against Joondalup with Kisha Lee earning Player of the Round honours after delivering 29 points and 12 rebounds.

That win improved Cockburn to a 5-9 record on the season but they are still on the outside of a playoff position coming into the clash with the league-leading Lightning.

The last game on Friday night should be another terrific battle with the Flames hosting the Magic in Rockingham.

The Flames are in terrific form having won four straight in second spot at 10-3 with imports D’Lesha Lloyd and Taneisha Harrison firing at both ends with support from Jacinta Bourne and Maddison Allen.

But Mandurah does need to start clicking soon even with injuries to Carly Boag and Casey Mihovilovich to firstly guarantee a playoff spot, and stay in the top four hunt. The Magic come into the trip to Rockingham at 7-6 in sixth position on a two-game losing slide.

Then on Saturday night, the Slammers host the Eagles at Eaton Recreation Centre with both teams making their only appearance of the weekend.

It’s a must-win game for South West who look to consolidate their spot inside the top eight against an East Perth team who was decidedly more competitive last weekend with the arrival of new import Ladondra Johnson.

They still lost two more games to Kalamunda and Stirling, despite only a combined margin of 23 points, to have now lost all 16 in 2018 and 26 straight overall. That means that if the Slammers hope to reach the playoffs in 2018, they can’t afford to drop this game at home.

The other Saturday night fixture sees the Eastern Suns hosting the Flames at Ray Owen Sports Centre.

Rockingham will be coming off a game at home to Mandurah on Friday while Kalamunda begins its double-header by looking to bounce back from losing by 22 points to Lakeside last weekend.

The Suns come into the weekend in fifth position at 9-6 and two wins this weekend would keep them right in the top four race.

Kalamunda backs up its game at home to Rockingham on Saturday by travelling to Warwick Stadium to play the Senators on Sunday. Stirling enters the round in seventh position at 7-9 so it’s an important game in terms of their playoff hopes as well.

WOMEN’S SBL FIXTURES – WEEK 14
FRIDAY
Perry Lakes Hawks v Willetton Tigers – Bendat Basketball Centre 6.30pm
Perth Redbacks v Joondalup Wolves – Belmont Oasis 6.30pm
Lakeside Lightning v Cockburn Cougars – Lakeside Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Rockingham Flames v Mandurah Magic – Mike Barnett Sports Complex 6.30pm

SATURDAY
South West Slammers v East Perth Eagles – Eaton Recreation Centre 6.00pm
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Rockingham Flames – Ray Owen Sports Centre 6.30pm

SUNDAY
Stirling Senators v Kalamunda Eastern Suns – Warwick Stadium 12.00pm