Lightning bolt into top spot (Round 4 women's wrap)
Lakeside is the surprise leader four rounds into the women's State Basketball League season after Wanneroo's perfect run came to a halt with defeat to Perry Lakes.
Few would've tipped the Lightning and South West Slammers to be the only unbeaten sides one month into the season, but the Hawks' shock 62-61 overtime win against the Wolves ensured that was the case.
Gabriella Clayton hit the winning shot with 21 seconds left in the extra period to break Wanneroo's five game winning run and break Perry Lakes' own two match losing skid.
That saw Lakeside finish the round in top spot with a 4-0 record after it cruised past Stirling Senators 82-60 earlier in the round.
Courtney Byrnes continued her magnificent form to score 26 points in the Lightning's comfortable win, which handed 10th placed Stirling its third consecutive loss.
The Slammers had few problems maintaining their perfect record, comfortably beating Mandurah Magic and Perth Redbacks.
Despite the continued absence of injured import Rachel Kloke, Bianca Donovan's 15 points led the Bunbury side to the 70-61 win against the still winless Magic.
But the 54-44 triumph against Perth, which had previously won four of its five games, was the most impressive of South West's two wins.
The highly anticipated return of West Coast Waves tall Samantha Norwood wasn't enough to get 2011 runner-up East Perth back into form as it fell 77-69 to Kalamunda Eastern Suns.
Norwood had 25 points and 13 rebounds but the Eagles fell away late in the contest to slump to a 1-4 record and hand Kalamunda its first win.
Defending champions Willetton Tigers moved back into the top four courtesy of convincing victories against Rockingham Flames and Cockburn Cougars.
The Tigers thrashed local rivals 100-70 on Thursday on the back of Jasmine Hooper's 33 points, a result which left the Cougars anchored to the bottom of the ladder without a win.
And Waves youngster Hooper continued her phenomenal round on Saturday with 40 points and 10 rebounds in the 84-71 win against the Flames, who are in eighth spot with a 1-3 record.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photo by Darren Speedie (Vision Inspired Photography)
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