Regular-season champs Endeavour Ipswich Basketball head to Thames Valley Cavaliers in a repeat of last season's WNBL National Cup Final, which is the competition that instead dominates the upcoming weekend.
Eleven National Cup games are scheduled for the next two days, with the likes of D1's Brent, CoLA, Loughborough and more all in action.
We take a look at all the weekend's contests below, with links to live stats at the bottom of the page.
Thames Valley Cavaliers and Endeavour Ipswich Basketball go head-to-head with D1W's collective eyes watching as the only league action of this weekend.
Ipswich came through last season's Cup final with a 96-90 victory, but much has changed for both sides since last January.
The Cavs have experienced significant roster turnover this past summer, with a number of players, including forward Helene Trailin, leaving the club for pastures new.
Ipswich have seen their own turnover in the form of Christabel Osarobo, Liv Forster and Yazmin Edwards, with all three departing for the States and the next steps of their basketball journeys.
One constant for the Suffolk side is reigning D1W Player of the Season Harriet Welham. The talented scorer claimed MVP honours in that final for the 34 points she dropped on TVC, but her presence isn't a slam dunk this weekend.
Welham missed Ipswich's Betty Codona Trophy loss against Essex last weekend with a leg injury, and her availability for this weekend isn't confirmed.
Her absence would be a huge loss to this clash, not least for the fact it would deny WNBL fans another chance to enjoy Welham going up against Thames Valley's Kat Goldsby, with the pair undoubtedly ranking as two of the league's best.
The American had a 31-point, 13-rebound double-double in TVC's opening day loss to Loughborough and will be itching to do all she can to get her side back on track this weekend.
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The WNBL National Cup comes to the fore this weekend, with 11 fixtures planned across the next two days.
Manchester Mystics get the action underway in Saturday's only clash as they make the short trip across the Liverpool, setting the scene for the other 10 games 24 hours later.
2022/23 winners Thames Valley Cavaliers head to D2 side Hemel Storm in what should be an exciting encounter for a Hemel side with their sights on playing at the next level, and Brent Bulls face an all-London clash against London Elite.
Barking Abbey are another D1 side without far to go as they head to East London Phoenix, and Bristol Academy Flyers nip over the border to South Wales to take on Cardiff City.
Another former Cup winner, Anglia Ruskin University, entertain Stevenage Royals, Reading Rockets will look to put their 0-2 league record to one side as they welcome London Thunder, and there's another local derby on the cards as Loughborough Riders and Nottingham University Wildcats go head-to-head in the Midlands.
London All Stars are joint top of D2's Pool II at 2-0 but that early season momentum will face a stern test against 2016/17 winners CoLA Southwark Pride.
That just leaves a pair of all-D2 clashes, with Team Solent Kestrels venturing along the South coast to take on Plymouth Marjon Patriots, and another former top flight side, City of Birmingham Rockets, are at home to Bromsgrove Bears.
4:30pm - Thames Valley Cavaliers vs Endeavour Ipswich Basketball - LIVE STATS
3pm - Liverpool vs Manchester Mystics
1pm - Plymouth Marjon Patriots vs Team Solent Kestrels
1:15pm - Cardiff City vs Bristol Academy Flyers
2pm - East London Phoenix vs Barking Abbey
3pm - Hemel Storm vs Thames Valley Cavaliers
3pm - Brent Bulls vs London Elite - LIVE STATS
3:45pm - Anglia Ruskin University vs Stevenage Royals - LIVE STATS
4pm - Reading Rockets vs London Thunder - LIVE STATS
5pm - City of Birmingham Rockets vs Bromsgrove Bears
6pm - Loughborough Riders vs Nottingham University Wildcats - LIVE STATS
6:15pm London All Stars vs CoLA Southwark Pride
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Main image credit - Luke Simcock
