THE Lakeside Lightning will sweat on the fitness of Alison Schwagmeyer for their important clash at home to the Cockburn Cougars in the Women's SBL on Saturday night with both trying to hold the dangerous Mandurah Magic and Stirling Senators out of a playoff spot.

With the return of Casey Mihovilovich in recent weeks the Magic are right back in the playoff hunt with the Senators knocking on the door as well meaning the loser of the Lightning's clash with the Cougars could head into Monday's All-Star game outside of the top eight.

The Week 12 action gets underway on Friday night with the Kalamunda Eastern Suns hosting the Schweigen Home Appliances East Perth Eagles and the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames facing the Texture WA Perth Redbacks.

Then on Saturday night as well as the Lakeside Lightning playing the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars, the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro City of Joondalup Wolves face the Mandurah Magic and the Perry Lakes Hawks tackle the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers.

Lastly on Sunday ahead of Monday's All-Star fixture at the Bendat Basketball Centre, the Print Sync South West Slammers play host to the Bethanie Stirling Senators.

With the Eastern Suns hosting the Eagles on Friday night, it presents a chance for Kalamunda to back up its win last week over the Redbacks to consolidate their position in the top eight over an East Perth team on a six-game losing run with just the one victory so far in 2016.

The other Friday night fixture pits the defending champion Flames up against the Redbacks in what should be a fascinating contest particularly with Rockingham without Sami Whitcomb and Darcee Garbin, but with Ifunanya Ibekwe likely to play her first game.

The Flames do need to keep winning to maintain pace with the Tigers and Wolves in the top two places in the Women's SBL but a win for the Redbacks would see them potentially end the weekend in fourth position depending on how the current fourth placed Hawks perform.

Then on Saturday night, both the Lightning and Cougars enter their contest at Lakeside Recreation Centre on 5-6 records. A loss could see them slip outside the top eight if the Magic and/or Senators win this weekend while the winner can consolidate their position inside the top eight.

Lakeside is coming off a loss to the Lady Wolfpack last Friday night while Cockburn also fell at the hands of the Magic a fortnight ago ahead of a bye last weekend.

The contest looms as a season-defining one for both clubs with the Cougars always having the potential for a dominant night with star imports Candace Williams and Cherridy Thornton in the line-up.

The Lightning will again be without Courtney Byrnes but coach Craig Mansfield is glad to welcome back the experienced Jess van Schie and hopes that star Alison Schwagmeyer, who has been named to the SBL Team of the Week five times this season, can get up to play in the crucial contest.

"We return Jess for Cougars this weekend, Swag is 50/50 and there is no timetable for a return on Courtney unfortunately," Mansfield said.

"We were pretty disappointed with how we played last time at Wally Hagan and we need an improved showing this weekend.

"While Cougars shot the three well last time, it was Williams and Thornton that both got away from us and we will need to do a better job to get a positive result this weekend."

Also on Saturday night in the Women's SBL, the second placed Joondalup host the improving Mandurah in another tantalising match up.

The Lady Wolfpack are without question in some ominous form with a 9-1 record on the season with an eight-game winning streak, but the Magic are now putting together some good form winning three of their last four games with Casey Mihovilovich in the line-up.

Combined with the impressive Adijat Adams and Annette Davis and the Magic are potentially a team much better than their 5-7 record suggests and they could make a significant statement come Saturday night, but they do face an uphill battle.

The Hawks also play the Tigers on Saturday night at Bendat Basketball Centre in a battle of two teams inside the top four.

Willetton enters on top of the table at 11-1 with a six-game winning run but will again be without Louella Tomlinson. Perry Lakes is again missing Antonia Edmondson, but at 7-5 in fourth position the Hawks need to snap a three-game losing ride to avoid starting to slip down the standings.

The round will then conclude on Sunday with the Slammers playing the Senators for the second straight week.

Last Saturday night at Warwick Stadium, Stirling beat South West in a tight affair 89-85 with the Slammers heading home this Sunday in an attempt to win their first game of 2016 to upset the Senators hopes of breaking into the top eight.

WEEK 12 WOMEN'S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Schweigen Home Appliances East Perth Eagles, Ray Owen Recreation Centre 6.30pm
Orange Autos Rockingham Flames v Texture WA Perth Redbacks, Mike Barnett Sports Complex 6.30pm

SATURDAY
Lakeside Lightning v Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars, Lakeside Recreation Centre 6pm
Merriwa Tavern & Bistro City of Joondalup Wolves v Mandurah Magic, Joondalup Basketball Stadium 6pm
Perry Lakes Hawks v Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers, Bendat Basketball Centre 6pm

SUNDAY
Print Sync South West Slammers v Bethanie Stirling Senators, Eaton Recreation Centre 4pm

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Deprimo Photography