THE final weekend of the regular season in the women's SBL is undoubtedly highlighted by the top-of-the-table clash between the Willetton Tigers and Rockingham Flames, but the Perry Lakes Hawks, South West Slammers and Cockburn Cougars are all trying to finish as high as possible as well.

Heading into the last round of the regular season, the top eight teams for the women's playoffs for 2015 are set but only one quarter-final series is booked with the Mandurah Magic set to take on the Kalamunda Eastern in the battle between fourth and fifth.

The Willetton Tigers and Rockingham Flames will decide top spot on Saturday night while the Hawks, Slammers and Cougars can all finish sixth, seventh or eighth to determine who takes on the top three teams in the first round of the playoffs.

The only Friday night final round fixture is a crucial one with the Perry Lakes Hawks hosting the Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars at Bendat Basketball Centre with tip-off set for 6.30pm.

Then there are four matches on Saturday night highlighted by the top-of-the-table clash between the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers and the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

The Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers also face the Perth Redbacks at Eaton Recreation Centre, the Mandurah Magic play the Kalamunda Eastern Suns at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre, and the Schweigen East Perth Eagles battle the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

Starting on Friday night, the Hawks host the Cougars with both teams guaranteed of playing finals but looking to avoid finishing seventh or eighth and having to play one of the Flames or Tigers.

The Hawks secured their place in the playoffs for 2015 with a win last Saturday night over the Magic, but they haven’t finished the season in great form winning just three of their last 13 matches following a four-game winning streak.

The Cougars, meanwhile, locked in a playoff position with wins over the Redbacks and Slammers the previous two weekends before a thumping 53-point defeat at the hands of the Wolves before the bye last weekend.

It was way back in the second round of the season when the Hawks last played the Cougars, and that was when Perry Lakes was making a winning start to 2015 and they recorded an 81-74 victory over Cockburn at Wally Hagan Stadium.

Then on Saturday night, the minor premiership is up for grabs between the two dominant teams of the women's SBL season.

The defending champion Flames have lost just once all season and are currently on a 13-game winning streak, but the Tigers have kept pace with them throughout the campaign putting together a nine-match winning run themselves and having lost just two matches this year.

Now heading into the clash at Willetton on Saturday night, the Tigers can snatch the minor premiership if they are able to beat the Flames by five or more points. If Rockingham loses by four points or less, or in fact wins, then the Flames will be minor premiers for the second straight year.

It was back in Week 10 when the two teams met earlier this season on a Saturday night at Mike Barnett Sports Complex, and on that occasion it was the Flames who won a thriller on their home floor 78-74 over the Tigers.

Not only is the game to determine top spot, but features some remarkable talent with Rockingham led by Sami Whitcomb, Darcee Garbin, Jacinta Bourne, Talisia Bourne and Tarsha Fletcher, and Willetton by Louella Tomlinson, Kate Malpass, Ebony Antonio, Zoe Harper and Lisa Wallbutton.

The Slammers then look to back up their win last Saturday night over the Suns that guaranteed their place in the playoffs by gaining revenge on the Redbacks for a loss earlier this season, and taking some winning form into the playoffs.

South West comes into the clash in seventh position with a 9-12 record while Perth will finish its improved 2015 campaign coming into the game with a 5-16 record in 10th spot.

Back in Week 10 was when the two teams last faced off and that saw the Redbacks score a 50-45 victory over the Slammers at Curtin Stadium.

The Magic host the Suns in Mandurah in a preview of the upcoming quarter-final series with neither team capable of moving from fourth or fifth position, and as a result neither side will want to give anything away heading into the playoffs.

The Magic come into the clash with a 14-7 record in fourth spot but have lost three of their last four games while the Eastern Suns have now lost three straight to have fallen to a 12-9 record but they are guaranteed of finishing in fifth spot.

It hasn’t been since way back the opening night of the season when the Magic last played the Eastern Suns this season but they will sure get to know each other now in the coming weeks.

However, back on that season-opener at Ray Owen Sports Centre, it was the Magic who opened 2015 with a road win beating the Suns 62-49.

The Wolves will then look to enter the playoffs in winning form by taking on the improved Eagles at Morley on Saturday night.

The Lady Wolfpack have currently won four straight games to hold a 17-4 record but they can't move from third position no matter what happens on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, East Perth can't move from ninth position eight but it has been a terrific finish to the season by the Eagles who have now won three of their last four games to hold an 8-13 record after winning on three games in total the last two years.

It was no contest between the two teams back in Week 10 when they met earlier this season with the Lady Wolfpack winning 93-45 at Joondalup Basketball Stadium, but the Eagles have improved markedly since then and will only narrowly missing making the playoffs in 2015.

WEEK 20 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Perry Lakes Hawks v Soprano Designs Cockburn Cougars, Bendat Basketball Centre 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers v Perth Redbacks, Eaton Recreation Centre 6pm
Mandurah Magic v Kalamunda Eastern Suns, Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre 6pm
Schweigen East Perth Eagles v Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves, Morley Sport and Recreation Centre 6pm
Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers v Orange Autos Rockingham Flames, Willetton Basketball Stadium 6pm

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by June Halliday