SBL season gets cracking
The State Basketball League season begins this weekend. Here we outline the player movements around the clubs and who plays who in round one.
WOMEN
Willetton Tigers' women's SBL title defence faces an early test when they host Perth Redbacks on Saturday night.
The Tigers will be under strength for the clash with West Coast Waves stars Melissa Marsh and Zoe Harper to miss the clash after they were allowed rest breaks due to their heavy national league schedule.
The Redbacks pushed Willetton to a deciding third game in last year's semifinals and again should feature as one of the title contenders, led by 2009 SBL Most Valuable Player Brooke Hiddlestone.
Perry Lakes Hawks also face a difficult rematch of their 2010 semifinal when they host Wanneroo Wolves. The Wolves lost that series in three games but their young side, led by Waves guard Rebecca Mercer, should provide a tough challenge in Rick Morcom's first game back in charge of the Hawks.
Rockingham Flames have lost much of the side that led them to second spot at the end of the 2010 regular season but will still start heavy favourites against South West Slammers. The match will be at WA Basketball Centre while Rockingham's home-court scoring facilities are brought up to the SBL's required standards.
League MVP Kaye Tucker will miss the early part of the season for the Flames with a shoulder injury and WNBL forward Courtney Hargreaves has left the club.
The Slammers won just once last season and have lost Waves player Kate Fielding to East Perth Eagles.
East Perth set the pace in the early part of last season and will look to make another strong start when they host Mandurah Magic, who finished just one spot below them last year.
Kalamunda Eastern Suns will be out for revenge for missing out on a play-off spot last year when they face Lakeside Lightning on the road.
Kalamunda were pipped by Lakeside for the final top-eight spot in 2010 but have added former Willetton star Brittany Morgan to an already talented team and should provide a strong test to the Lightning's young side.
Stirling Senators and Cockburn Cougars both disappointed last season but will look to bounce back when they meet on Saturday.
MEN
Perth Redbacks will look to put an early dent in Willetton Tigers' men's SBL title defence when they meet in the opening round.
The Redbacks have recruited former NBL forward Adrian Majstrovich and could improve on their top-four finish last year, but will be without Perth Wildcats forward Jesse Wagstaff and Sydney Kings point guard Joel Wagner early in the season.
Willetton have lost several players, including Adelaide 36ers centre Daniel Johnson, while Matthew Knight and Cameron Tovey will be unavailable early in the year due to their Perth Wildcats commitments.
Wanneroo Wolves will be without new signing John Vaudreuil for their tough doubleheader, against Perry Lakes Hawks and Goldfields Giants. Vaudreuil, who played for Goldfields last year, is still playing in Taiwan but is expected in Perth by the end of March.
The Wolves were knocked out in the first round of last year's play-offs but will be favoured against the Hawks, who will be missing NBL guard Peter Crawford.
New imports Darnell Dialls and Matthew Rosinski will debut for Goldfields on the road against Kalamunda Eastern Suns on Saturday, a game the Giants would be expected to win, before their Sunday clash with Wanneroo.
Lakeside Lightning's quest to make amends for the disappointment of losing to Willetton in last year's grand final begins on Friday night at home against Kalamunda.
The Lightning have retained the bulk of their team and will start heavy favourite against the Suns, who have lost Majstrovich and numerous other key players.
Geraldton Buccaneers will be favoured in both games of their road trip, which sees them face Mandurah Magic and Cockburn Cougars. Both of Geraldton's opponents missed the finals in 2010, although the Magic were big improvers late in the season.
Mandurah also play East Perth Eagles, who have lost Wildcats duo Stephen Weigh and Damian Martin but have signed star point guard Daniel Thomas from Geraldton.
Stirling Senators narrowly missed last year's play-offs and have lost several important players, but should be competitive against Cockburn.
Rockingham Flames and South West Slammers were disappointing in 2010 and will hope to use their Friday night meeting at the WA Basketball Centre to start this season on a better note.
