WNBL1 Preview: Week 23 (3/4 April 2021) - live streams, stats and more

Three games make up the Easter weekend as the WNBL closes in on the post season.

With the playoffs set to begin in mid-May, teams are still working hard to complete their schedules despite this season's obvious challenges.

Week 23 sees leaders Ipswich trying to bounce back from defeat as they welcome Thames Valley, BA London Lions II host Cardiff and Reading travel to Solent.

We take a look at all the action below, with links to live stats and live streams at the bottom of the page.

Team Solent Kestrels (7-5) v Reading Rockets (5-6)

Solent host Reading tomorrow in what should be an exciting contest between two talented teams

Visitors Reading are 3-2 over their last five, but have won their last two contests against Worcester and Cardiff.

Saioa San Francisco and Sitota Gines Espinosa both made the FocusHoops Team of the Week for their efforts against the Wolves, with San Francisco bagging Player of the Week honours following a 23-point, five-rebound, three-assist and four-steal performance in the 77-61 victory.

Solent are also 3-2 in their last five, but defeat last weekend to CoLA has left the Kestrels with little room for error if they're going to retain third place in the standings.

With Southwark currently two points behind the South coast side with a pair of games in hand, Solent can't afford any more slip ups at this stage of the season.

Faye Endean enjoyed 23 points in the Kestrels last win, a 76-69 victory against Thames Valley two weeks ago. The rising star will no doubt look to repeat that kind of performance tomorrow.

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Elsewhere this weekend

There are two other games that fill the WNBL slate, starting with leaders Ipswich (10-2) hosting Thames Valley Cavaliers (3-6).

Ipswich suffered a surprise defeat last time out as they went down 67-55 at home to Nottingham Trent University, throwing the title race with Loughborough wide open.

No doubt the Suffolk side will want to quash those hopes as soon as possible, and a win against a TVC side that have lost their last three games would probably be a good place the start.

The other contest tomorrow sees BA London Lions II (2-8) going up against a familiar opponent in Cardiff Met Archers (1-6).

These sides met in Wales last weekend, with the Lions coming out on top 69-49 thanks to 16 points from forward Leia Edwards.

Victory again tomorrow and a loss by Thames Valley will see BA move into a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot, a solid achievement for a side that didn't have a win to their name coming into last weekend.

Cardiff's hopes could rest on the availability of Amber Deane, who played just 14 minutes of last Sunday's contest before injuring her hamstring.

It's thought the former D2 Player of the Year could miss a couple of weeks, a potential blow to the Archers' chances of climbing off the foot of the standings.

This weekend's fixtures:

Saturday 3 April

2pm - Ipswich v Thames Valley Cavaliers - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM LOCATION
2pm - BA London Lions II v Cardiff Met Archers - LIVE STATS
2pm - Team Solent Kestrels v Reading Rockets - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM

Main image credit - Graham Hodges