Cockburn looking to upset local rivals Lakeside (Round 15 MSBL Preview)
Cockburn Cougars will be hoping to end Lakeside Lightning's eight-game winning streak when they meet in a top-of-the-table men's State Basketball League clash.
The Lightning are four points clear of Cockburn at the top of the league with a game in hand and will almost certainly finish first if they beat the Cougars.
But Cockburn has only lost once at Wally Hagan Stadium this season and will be full of confidence for Saturday's round 15 clash, even though Lakeside, which also plays Perth Redbacks on Friday, has won its last four games by an average of 39 points.
The Cougars also face a tough test against the in-form Australian Central East Perth Eagles, who have climbed to sixth spot with three-straight wins and will be looking to consolidate their place in the top eight. East Perth also plays 11th-placed Mandurah Magic on Saturday.
Defending champions Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers will be desperate to bounce back from last week's humiliating 60-point loss to Lakeside with wins against Wanneroo Wolves and Kalamunda Eastern Suns.
But both the third-placed Wolves and seventh-placed Suns have won their past three games and will be hoping to take advantage of the absence of star Tigers big man Matt Knight, who is out with a calf strain.
Wanneroo also meets Rockingham Flames, whose final hopes are over after losing their last three games.
SKILLED Goldfields Giants have slipped to 10th spot with three straight losses and need to beat heated rivals Sun City Plumbing Geraldton Buccaneers and fellow top eight contender ATD Stirling Senators to get their finals hopes back on track.
The Giants head to Perth on Friday to face Stirling, which has fallen to ninth with its three-game losing streak, before travelling to Geraldton to face the struggling Buccaneers on Saturday to complete a nightmare road-trip.
The Senators also face Total Connections Perry Lakes Hawks, which has all but assured a top four spot with four-straight victories.
Perth moved back into the top eight with victory in Kalgoorlie last week and need to maintain their momentum with wins against Lakeside and Southwest Slammers, who remain winless with six games to go.
But the Redbacks could be without star forward Jesse Wagstaff due to his Australian Boomers commitments.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photo by Mick Cronin
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