THE Willetton Tigers and Wanneroo Wolves fight over top spot in the women's SBL heading into the last weekend with the Cockburn Cougars and Perry Lakes Hawks battling over a finals position.

The last weekend of SBL action before the finals gets underway begins on Friday night with two matches that sees the Toll Ipec Eagles taking on the Kalamunda Eastern Suns and the Perry Lakes Hawks take on the BOQ Perth Redbacks.

The Eagles host the Suns at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre looking to finish their one-win season off on a high.

East Perth has now lost 17 games straight and host a Kalamunda team who currently sits on a 10-10 record also coming off a six-game losing run so to guarantee a finals appearance they will need to start their two-game weekend off on a winning note.

The Hawks then also host the Redbacks at the WA Basketball Centre with Perry Lakes needing to win in order to stay in the finals hunt while for the Redbacks it will be their last game of the season and from 10th-place they will want to finish off on a winning note.

Then on Saturday night, the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers take on the Willetton Tigers, the Wanneroo Wolves battle the Lakeside Lightning, the Cockburn Cougars face the Perry Lakes Hawks and the Kalamunda Eastern Suns play the Mandurah Magic.

The defending champion South West Slammers have done enough to guarantee a finals berth but now they remain a chance to finish in the top-four with a win over the top-of-the-table Willetton Tigers in a massive clash on Saturday at Eaton Recreation Centre.

The Slammers have struck form at the right time of the year having won four of their last five games but the Tigers have also been on fire winning six straight to currently sit atop the standings. However, a loss on Saturday for the Tigers and a Wanneroo win will see them drop to second spot.

The Wolves host the Lightning at Joondalup Basketball Stadium in another clash with big ramifications.

Wanneroo lost top spot last week with a defeat to Perry Lakes and now will be looking to remain a chance to snatch top spot but Lakeside is on a two-game losing skid and also needs to record a victory to avoid the prospect of sliding out of the top-four by the weekend's end.

The Cockburn Cougars currently sit in eighth position in the standings and will need to beat the Perry Lakes Hawks in what will be basically elimination final on Saturday at Wally Hagan Stadium.

The Hawks first play the Redbacks on Friday and if they win that they will replace the Cougars in eighth position so that will mean the winner of Saturday's game will go eighth, and the loser will likely miss out on finals unless the Suns hit a big hurdle on the weekend.

After playing the East Perth Eagles on Friday, the Kalamunda Eastern Suns take on the Mandurah Magic at Ray Owen Sports Centre looking to cement a finals spot while the 5-16 Magic will just be looking to end on a positive note to close their disappointing 2013 season.

Article by Chris Pike

Photo by Serene Maisey