PLENTY will be on the line in Week 8 of the Women's SBL competition starting with three crucial matches on Friday night including new Stirling Senators coach Glenn Clarke hosting his former team and looking for a much-improved showing than earlier in the season.

There are three tantalising Women's SBL match ups on Friday night with not only the Bethanie Stirling Senators hosting the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers at Warwick Stadium, but the Textile WA Perth Redbacks looking to test themselves against the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames and the Lakeside Lightning hosting the Mandurah Magic.

The defending champion Flames are now on a seven-game winning run since an opening night loss to the Willetton Tigers and they enter the round on top of the Women's SBL standings.

That means the Redbacks have a big challenge ahead of them having lost three of their last four matches, but with their talent including Ajay Jones, Lisa Wallbutton, Rebecca Mercer, Ashley Gilmore and the consistent Jess Jakens and they will be backing themselves to challenge Rockingham.

Willetton sits just behind the Flames in second positon with a 6-1 record heading into their clash on Friday night against the Senators and the man who coached them to a three-peat of Women's SBL championships, Glenn Clarke.

The Tigers dominated the first meeting winning 98-48 at Willetton Basketball Stadium, but Friday's clash will be at Warwick Stadium and Clarke and the Senators will be determined to put in a vastly improved showing.

And for Willetton coach Simon Parker, it's still a little bit of an odd feeling going up against his good friend on opposition teams and he knows that Clarke might very well have a few tricks up his sleeve come Friday night at Warwick Stadium.

"In women's basketball you are never really sure what's going to happen. Playing against Clarkey you always know he's going to work nice and hard to do whatever he can do to win a game," Parker told SBL Slam on Sonshine FM 98.5.

"We are pretty close and I think I might even be getting a lift up there with him on Friday night so that will be interesting. I might have to get my own lift home but it’s all good fun."

The third game on Friday night sees the Lightning host the Magic with Lakeside heading into the game in seventh position with a 3-4 record while Mandurah is 2-4 in 10th.

The Magic can close in on a spot in the top eight with a win while the Lightning can cement their place, so it's a contest with plenty riding on it and Lakeside coach Craig Mansfield is fully aware of the danger that Mandurah will present.

"Mandurah are a well-coached and tough opponent who have dealt with some injuries early on this season. We don't know who they will have available but know it will be a physical contest," Mansfield said.

"Defensively we will need to be locked into stopping dribble penetration and boxing out, winning as many of the one on one defensive contests as possible.

"We will look to keep the floor spread offensively, and be strong with the ball. It is important we do a good job handling their body and reaching pressure around the perimeter."

The Tigers have a good test to back up their clash on Friday with the Senators by taking on another team heading into the round with just the one loss so far, the Perry Lakes Hawks on Saturday.

Perry Lakes' lone loss was a one-point nail-biter at the hands of the Joondalup Wolves with Willetton's one defeat also a one-point defeat after a buzzer-beating three by Stacey Barr against the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

That sets up a fascinating Saturday night battle at Willetton Basketball Stadium between the two teams who have set themselves up as championship contenders in 2016.

Parker is looking forward to the challenge to see how the Tigers shape up against the supremely talented Hawks led by Deanna Smith.

"Then it's a bit of the unknown on Saturday night against Perry Lakes which we're looking forward to the challenge of taking them on," Parker said.

The Tigers-Hawks battle isn’t the only intriguing one on Saturday night in the Women's SBL either.

The Eagles are still hunting their second win of 2016 when they host a dangerous Cougars team at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre with Cockburn possessing two of the most exciting players in the league this season Cherridy Thornton and Candace Williams.

The Senators then back up their clash with the Tigers on Friday by heading to Ray Owen Recreation Centre to take on an Eastern Suns team who might have lost to the Flames last weekend, but before that handed Willetton its only loss of 2016.

And final the battle of the co-tenants for this year at Mike Barnett Sports Complex sees the defending champion Flames backup their clash on Friday with the Redbacks by taking on the Magic who are also taking on a Friday night opponent in the form of the Lightning.

WEEK 8 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Bethanie Stirling Senators v Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers, Warwick Stadium 6.30pm
Lakeside Lightning v Mandurah Magic, Lakeside Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Textile WA Perth Redbacks v Orange Autos Rockingham Flames, Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Schweigen Home Appliances East Perth Eagles v Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars, Morley Sport and Recreation Centre 6pm
Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers v Perry Lakes Hawks, Willetton Basketball Stadium 6pm
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Bethanie Stirling Senators, Ray Owen Sports Centre 6.30pm
Orange Autos Rockingham Flames v Mandurah Magic, Mike Barnett Sports Complex 6.30pm

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Erin Tuckey Multimedia