West Adelaide Bearcats (1-5, 8th) v Southern Tigers (4-2, 4th)
Saturday May 19, 6.30pm at Port Adelaide

The Southern Tigers will require a victory to keep pace with the top three when they make the trip to the north-west to face the declining West Adelaide Bearcats.

The Tigers were given a firm test by Woodville in Round 6, but overcame a two point half-time deficit to win 70-63. Offensively, Alexandra Ciabattoni (22.2 ppg, 7 rpg) and Genna Anderson (17.8 ppg, 11.7 rpg) seem to be forming something of a dynamic duo, combining for 66% of their team’s points against the Warriors.

Simone Nelson, who is leading the league in rebounding, had 12 boards, 5 steals and 4 blocks to go with her 9 points.

The Bearcats were one possession away from a Grand Final last year, but look a vintage of their former selves right now with a 1-5 record. They did put up a season-high 65 points against the Rockets, but also conceded a team-worst 77 points. Ultimately, a 9-25 quarter-time deficit was too much to overcome.

Kate Shierlaw (13 points, 6 rebounds), Ashlea Vordermaier (12 points), Sky Langenbrinck (11 points, 5 rebounds) and Trudy Holland (10 points, 5 rebounds) were the Bearcats’ top performers.

Head-to-head, the Tigers’ last win against the Bearcats was May 22, 2010, at Port Adelaide. They have lost their last three overall.

Based on form alone, the Tigers should have a one game winning streak over the Bearcats at the end of this Round.

Woodville Warriors (2-3, 6th) v Norwood Flames (6-0, 1st)
Saturday May 19, 6.30pm at St Clair

The Woodville Warriors will be attempting to end the Norwood Flames’ six game unbeaten run when the two clubs play off at St Clair.

The Warriors suffered a tough loss at the claws of the Tigers last week, going down by seven. It was their third straight loss after a 2-0 start.

Ingrid Richards, who is leading the league in three point percentage, scored 19 points, 15 of which came from beyond the arc. Ashleigh White had 15 points and 5 rebounds, while Tara Buttress had 16 rebounds and 9 points.

The Flames were given a run for their money by the second-to-bottom Sabres, but still got home 74-64. Jess Foley was the star performer with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals; she was the only Flame in double figures. Amy Lewis, who is averaging 16.8 ppg and 5 rpg, fouled out after being held to just 9 points in 23 minutes.

The Flames had two comfortable wins over the Warriors in 2011, and have had the wood on them in recent seasons.

They should continue both their fine head-to-head form and 2012 form with a win in this encounter.

Central District Lions (5-1, 2nd) v South Adelaide Panthers (0-6, 10th)
Saturday May 19, 6.30pm at Starplex

The white hot Central District Lions have a great chance to extend their winning run to six games when they host wooden-spoon favourites the South Adelaide Panthers.

The Lions pulled off the scalp of all scalps last weekend with a 62-59 victory over three-time reigning champions Forestville. They led by nine with under seven minutes remaining, but survived a nervy finish – no field goal was scored in the final three minutes.

Import D’lesha Lloyde had her best game as a Lion with 25 points, while Desinta Cummins had 14 points. Former Eagle Jess Mahony registered 8 rebounds and 8 steals despite an off shooting night, and ex-Panther Elizabeth Keane had 13 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

The Panthers sunk to a sixth straight defeat following their 66-79 loss to Eastern. This was in spite of former Flame Jess Hansberry’s best game as a Panther. She finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

Hajnal Nagy added 12 points and 6 rebounds, while Sally Mostert had a good all-round game with 11 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.

The last time they met, the Panthers condemned the Lions to their worst loss in the last two seasons, winning 92-39. In the previous meeting at Starplex, the Lions won their first game for over a year 55-54, and, minus that night at Marion, things have only got better for them since.

This could be a record breaking win for the Lions over the Panthers.

Forestville Eagles (5-1, 3rd) v North Adelaide Rockets (3-2, 5th)
Saturday May 19, 6.30pm at Wayville

In the Match of the Round, the Forestville Eagles will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they welcome the rejuvenated North Adelaide Rockets to Wayville.

Last Saturday, the Eagles lost for just the second time since their last home clash with the Rockets in Round 9 last year, going down to Centrals by three points. Olivia Thompson (24 points, 13 rebounds) had the chance to tie the game in the final five seconds, but missed her three point attempt. The loss breaks a run of 13 straight wins for the Eagles.

Jess Fergus added 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, while Alex Duncan, who leads the league in assists, had 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.

The Rockets got the job done against the Bearcats, despite the absence of superstar Jo Hill. Jamie-Lee Peris led the way with 22 points on an incredible 9/10 shooting, while also pulling down 8 boards. Peris is averaging 16.8 ppg on 53% shooting and 9.8 rpg, so is one the Eagles must watch closely.

Lauren Mansfield scored 15 points in her first game of the season, while Jess Smart had a 12 point, 11 rebound double-double. The Rockets beat the Eagles at Wayville last season, but lost their corresponding home clash in Round 18.

If Hill is in the line-up, then the Rockets are a genuine chance of victory, but without her winning will be a tough ask.

Sturt Sabres (1-5, 9th) v Eastern Mavericks (2-4, 7th)
Saturday May 19, 8.15pm at Pasadena

League-leading scorer Tess Madgen will return to her former home gym when the Eastern Mavericks take on the Sturt Sabres at the later time of 8.15pm.

Madgen had 38 points, 14 rebounds, 6 steals and 5 assists in the Mavs’ 79-66 win over South. Madgen shot 15/24 from the field and 3/5 from downtown, as the Mavs won for the second time in three games.

Candice Hartman (10 points) was the only other Maverick in double figures.

Despite their 1 and 5 record, there are some positive signs for Sturt. The Sabres gave one of their better efforts of the season against the Flames in Round 6, but dropped their fifth straight match, losing by 10 points.

The good news for the Sabres was top-scorer Amy Shaw had an immediate impact upon her return to the team, finishing with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Jess McPhail also scored 17, while Ashleigh Bow had 15 points and 7 rebounds.

The Mavericks have not beaten the Sabres since they triumphed in the Adelaide Hills by four points on June 1, 2008. They have lost six straight since then, including a 25-97 demolition in Round 2 last year. Madgen scored 32 in that one.

The Central ABL website’s seven year historical statistics have no record of a Maverick win at Pasadena. However, Centrals were in the same boat until Round 3 this year, so don’t write off Madgen and Co. joining the trend-breakers club this week.

By James Woite