Slammers’ win critical for play-offs berth

The Printsync South West Slammers women’s side is sweating on the availability of key players Georgia Denehey and Tori Fisher for Saturday’s clash with the Perry Lakes Hawks at the Bendat Basketball Centre.

Denehey suffered two separate head knocks at the weekend, while Fisher missed both games after having her wisdom teeth removed.

Slammers coach Peter Harper said he was hoping for both to play.

“Georgia, I am pretty sure will be right,” he said.

“Tori is a 50-50 chance.”

This weekend’s clash against the Hawks is one of the biggest of the season for both teams, as the race for play-offs positions heat up.

The Slammers sit seventh on the SBL ladder with a 7-9 record, while the Hawks are in ninth and just one win outside of the top-eight.

Denehey (14 points, five rebounds) and import Charlotte van Kleef (22 points, six rebounds) both starred for the Slammers last time they played Perry Lakes, when they recorded a 68-53 victory.

That night the Slammers were able to restrict Hawks stars Antonia Farnworth and Natalie Burton to just 31 points between them.

Burton, who has played more than 100 WNBL games, is one of the competition’s best players and is averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds a game, while Farnworth has re-signed with the Perth Lynx and is averaging 18 points a game.

Harper said Fisher would be the ideal match-up for Burton.

“If not, then it will be a combined effort of Courtney (Bayliss), Cian (Parsons) and Beige (Harris),” he said.

Denehey would likely get the defensive job on Farnworth in the absence of injured guard Raya Thompson.

Harper said with the race to finals, wins were vital.

“A win on Saturday would nearly secure us a play-offs berth,” he said.

“It is important that we beat the teams that are below us.

“We have beaten them with Burton and Farnworth before.

“Hopefully we can do it again, even though they are in better form.”