ALL seven matches in Week 18 of the Women's SBL has playoff implications highlighted by Deanna Smith's return to Cockburn on Friday night in a crucial match for her Hawks and the Cougars while on Saturday night there is a grand final rematch between the Flames and Tigers.

It is difficult to pin point which of the seven matches are more important across Friday and Saturday nights as the Wolves, Flames and Tigers continue to battle over the top two spots, the Hawks try to hold out the Magic and Lightning in fourth, and then the Eastern Suns, Redbacks, Cougars and Senators fight over seventh and eighth.

There are four matches on Friday night with the Lakeside Lightning hosting the Print Sync South West Slammers, the P&J Financial Solutions Kalamunda Eastern Suns taking on the Mandurah Magic, the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars playing the Perry Lakes Hawks and the Bethanie Stirling Senators battling the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames.

Three matches then take place on Saturday night with the Print Sync South West Slammers hosting the Texture WA Perth Redbacks, the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves battling the P&J Financial Solutions Kalamunda Eastern Suns and the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames facing the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers.

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On Friday night, the Senators take on the two-time defending champion Flames at Warwick Stadium needing to find a way to win to avoid ending the round two games out of the top eight.

It's not going to be easy with Rockingham now having its full squad together headlined by Sami Whitcomb, Darcee Garbin and Ifunanya Ibekwe, and they've won four straight to sit 15-3 to still be eyeing off top spot.

The Senators currently sit 10th at 7-12 and they kept their playoff chances alive beating the Cougars last Friday and now they need their best performance against a top three team this season. So far this year, Stirling has lost to Rockingham by 20, Joondalup by 24 and 18, and Willetton by 50 and 35.

Then at Lakeside Recreation Centre, the Lightning will look to continue their winning form from last weekend hosting the young Slammers who continue to battle hard with a team with an average age just 20.

Lakeside consolidated a playoff spot last weekend beating the Eastern Suns and Redbacks, and now they look to improve on a 10-9 record to remain in the race for the top four and avoid slipping back into battling for a finals spot.

The Eastern Suns also host the Magic at Ray Owen Recreation Centre in another game featuring two teams currently in the top eight.

Mandurah could very well be the in-form team of the competition having now won five straight to improve to a 10-8 record and the Magic can continue to close in on a top four berth with a win. But the Suns just need to win to remain in the top eight currently sitting seventh at 8-10.

Mandurah has been on fire on the back of the form of Casey Mihovilovich as well as imports Annette Davis and Adijat Adams meaning Kalamunda needs huge games from Stacey Barr, Carley Mijovic and Melissa Moyle.

The final Friday night contest sees the Cougars host the Hawks at Wally Hagan Stadium with Cockburn desperate to win to try and break back into the top eight while Perry Lakes needs a victory to improve on its 12-7 record to remain solid in fourth spot.

The ability of Cougars imports Candace Williams and Cherridy Thornton to dominate or the experience edge of Deanna Smith and Antonia Edmondson will have a big say in the final result. The two teams did play back in Week 15 with the Hawks winning easily by 34 points.

On that night, Smith scorched the team she was playing-coach of last season with 38 points and her Perry Lakes coach of this year CJ Jackson is expecting a much tougher Cockburn opponent this time around as 'Doccy' makes her first appearance at her old home for 2016.

"We played them a couple of weeks ago and I had no idea they had the amount of injuries that they had on the court, which is a sad thing for any team to have injuries at this time of the year. It makes it hard to get your scout right and prepare to play against the right group of players," Jackson said.

"But we didn’t get off to a good start last time and we steadied the ship and did well in the end, but being at Cockburn in that environment it will be a tough game. But I've told the girls that all our games from now on need to be played at playoff intensity so we are ready for the playoffs once they start."

Cougars coach John Triscari didn’t need any reminder of what Smith could do, but just in case he did he got that three weeks ago. He knows trying to limit her effectiveness and efficiency will be key to turning the result around.

"It will be interesting. She absolutely slaughtered us last time we played them and I think she hit 38 points, it was a mammoth effort. She's all class and I've known Doccy for a long time and we are friends," Triscari said.

"When I contemplated getting out of wheelchair basketball I asked her if she would be my assistant if I got another head coaching job somewhere, but she beat me to it. It's going to be a tough game."

Then on Saturday night, the Flames take on the Tigers at Mike Barnett Sports Complex in the second grand final rematch of 2016.

Rockingham beat Willetton by five points in last year's grand final to claim a second straight championship but the Tigers did gain a measure of revenge back in the opening weekend of the season winning by 29 points.

But since then little has separated the two teams with the Flames coming into the weekend in second spot at 15-3 and the Tigers third at 14-4.

Both teams will at least want a top two finish and Saturday's result could very well determine that so there's plenty at stake between two teams with every reason to still have eyes on the 2016 championship.

While the Flames and Tigers are close behind, the Lady Wolfpack remain on top of the women's standings leading into Saturday's clash with the Eastern Suns at Joondalup Basketball Stadium.

The Wolves did lose last Saturday night to the Magic so they will be out to rebound straight away to improve on a 16-3 record to retain top spot but the Suns just need to win to stay in the top eight having already played the Magic on Friday night.

The final game of the round sees the youthful Slammers hosting the Redbacks at Eaton Recreation Centre. South West will like its chances of a third win of the season but it's a game Perth can't afford to drop having lost its last three to now be clinging to eighth spot at 8-10.

WEEK 18 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Lakeside Lightning v Print Sync South West Slammers, Lakeside Recreation Centre 6.30pm
P&J Financial Solutions Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Mandurah Magic, Ray Owen Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars v Perry Lakes Hawks, Wally Hagan Stadium 6.30pm
Bethanie Stirling Senators v Orange Autos Rockingham Flames, Warwick Stadium 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Print Sync South West Slammers v Texture WA Perth Redbacks, Eaton Recreation Centre 6pm
Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves v P&J Financial Solutions Kalamunda Eastern Suns, Joondalup Basketball Stadium 6pm
Orange Autos Rockingham Flames v Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers, Mike Barnett Sports Complex 6.30pm

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin