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THERE are three games each on Friday and Saturday night in the Women’s SBL including Darcee Garbin making her return for the Rockingham Flames while Willetton hosts Joondalup in a tantalising top-of-the-table clash.

With the defending champion Lakeside Lightning having the bye, Round 10 in the Women’s SBL will see the other two top three teams lock horns on Friday night when the Willetton Tigers and Joondalup Wolves clash at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

Also on Friday night, Townsville WNBL and Australian Opals star Darcee Garbin makes her return for the Rockingham Flames against the South West Slammers at Eaton Recreation Centre.

The third and final game on Friday night takes place at Warwick Stadium between the Warwick Senators and Cockburn Cougars.

The Saturday night action sees the Cockburn Cougars back up to host the Mandurah Magic while the East Perth Eagles play the Willetton Tigers and the Kalamunda Eastern Suns take on the Perth Redbacks.

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Round 10 of the Women’s SBL begins on Friday night with the fascinating match up pitting the Tigers against the Wolves at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

The Tigers come into the game on a six-game winning streak and coach Simon Parker has his team clicking nicely with the additions of imports Laina Snyder and Wendi Bibbins, and the likes of Emma Gandini, Desiree Kelley and Hayley Winter playing some of the best basketball of their careers.

But the Wolfpack are looking tremendous as well coming into the clash on top of the table on a seven-match winning run and a 10-1 record.

With Kayla Steindl, Amy Kidner and Amber Land inside, and Georgia Denehey, Mikayla Pirini and Isabelle Miotti settling in nicely, coach Charles Nix has them gelling nicely.

We will learn plenty about the championship credentials of both teams in the Friday night cracker.

Also on Friday night in the Women’s SBL, the Senators play host to the Cougars at Warwick Stadium.

It looks a big task for Cockburn up against a Warwick team sitting in fourth position at 6-3 bouncing back last week with a win over the Slammers following losses to the Flames and Wolfpack.

The Cougars still haven’t won since winning their first two games of the season but with Kisha Lee in the line-up against her former SBL team, they are always within a shot of getting an important win.

The Friday night action then concludes at Eaton Recreation Centre with the Slammers hosting the Flames.

Both teams need a win too with the Slammers having now lost four straight to hold a 4-6 record while the Flames have lost their last two to be 5-4.

South West will be hoping guard Makailah Dyer returns after missing last week’s loss to the Senators while Rockingham has a huge inclusion in the form of dual championship winner and WNBL star Darcee Garbin.

A Flames frontcourt featuring Garbin, Maddie Allen and Christina Boag is quite the enticing prospect and coach Craig Reynolds will have them together for the first time on Friday night.

Then on Saturday night, the Cougars host the Magic at Wally Hagan Stadium.

Cockburn will be coming off its trip to Warwick Stadium on Friday while Mandurah makes its only appearance of the weekend looking to snap a three-game losing slide that has them coming into Round 10 at 4-6.

Also on Saturday night, East Perth hosts Willetton at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.

The Eagles lost to Lakeside by 50 points last Saturday night for a 43rd straight defeat but they could have some fresh faces come the clash with the Tigers to try to rejuvenate some energy in the group.

It’s going to be a significant challenge against the Tigers, though, who will be coming off their top-of-the-table clash with Joondalup on Friday.

The final game of the round then features two fresh teams with the Eastern Suns hosting the Redbacks at Ray Owen Sports Centre.

Kalamunda had the bye last weekend and have lost three straight to be in ninth position at 3-7, but they will be strengthened against the Redbacks with the arrival of import Katie Yohn and return from a knee reconstruction of Alecia Knowles.

Perth’s winning run came to an end against Willetton last Friday night leaving the Redbacks at 3-7 but with Lauren Mansfield and import Morgan Pullins in the line-up alongside Nes’eya Williams, Rosie Deegan and Jess Jakens, coach Craig Allen will look to start building some momentum.

WOMEN’S SBL FIXTURES – WEEK 10
FRIDAY
Willetton Tigers v Chambers Franklyn Joondalup City Wolves – Willetton Basketball Stadium 6.30pm
Bethanie Warwick Senators v Round 1 Fitness Cockburn Cougars – Warwick Stadium 6.30pm
Print Sync South West Slammers v Class 1 Orthodontics Rockingham Flames – Eaton Recreation Centre 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Round 1 Fitness Cockburn Cougars v Cachet Homes Mandurah Magic – Wally Hagan Stadium 5.00pm
Schweigen East Perth Eagles v Willetton Tigers – Herb Graham Recreation Centre 6.00pm
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Texture WA Perth Redbacks – Ray Owen Sports Centre 6.30pm