Leaders Endeavour Ipswich Basketball head to CoLA Southwark Pride for a rematch of last season's Playoff Final to highlight Saturday's contests, whilst Brent vs Manchester is the lone offering to finish out the two days.
To mark Remembrance Sunday this weekend, Basketball England will allow members the opportunity to pay respects to those who served and sacrificed to defend our nation.
To commemorate those people, teams can observe one minute’s silence across all NBL, WNBL, Jnr. NBL and National Cup games that take place on the weekend of 9/10 November 2024.
WNBL's greatest rivalry kicks back into life this weekend as powerhouse programmes CoLA and Ipswich clash once again.
The most recent meeting between the two came last April in Manchester when CoLA secured the D1W playoff title at Ipswich's expense, winning 72-56 thanks to an MVP performance from the now departed Felicia Jacobs.
As is the case for both these teams due to their academic links, roster turnover is a fact of life. That does allow for an ever-evolving narrative in contests between the sides, as new players move in and stake a claim for adding their own chapter to the ongoing story.
One example is Ipswich's new import player Maddy Wormald, who has hit the ground running since she moved to the club in the off-season to average 16.2PPG and 10.6RPG in the early going.
The likes of Ayla Habbal (20.3PPG, 5.8RPG, 5.5APG) and Chandera Jones-Aryeh (9.8PPG, 7.8RPG, 5.5APG) aren't new to the CoLA ranks, but have both assumed a different role in 2024/25 as the Pride roster has also adjusted, and both look set to feature heavily this weekend.
Then there's the inevitability of Ipswich's multiple D1W Player of the Year Harriet Welham. Playing at an elite level once more, she tops the league's scoring charts with 24.0PPG, whilst team-mate Louisa Gibbins, another that has ascended into a more prominent role for her side, leads the D1W efficiency charts.
Everywhere you look in this one there's something to look forward to, and neither side will want a set back to their early season plans with defeat.
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The action begins in the Midlands as Loughborough Riders (4-1) try to shake off last weekend's first defeat of the season as they entertain one of the league's remaining winless sides, Barking Abbey (0-4).
Two teams with mixed fortunes across the early going, Cobham Cobras (3-2) and Anglia Ruskin University (2-3), also clash, with plenty at stake for both sides as they try to keep up with the leaders at the top.
Worcester Wolves (1-3) will be hoping to put some distance between themselves and the two potential relegation places at the bottom of the standings as they welcome Reading Rockets (0-4), who currently sit in one of those spots heading into the weekend.
Saturday's final game sees Bristol Academy Flyers (2-3) up against Thames Valley Cavaliers (2-2), with Bristol's Marlee Ball looking to continue the kind of form that saw her earn a spot in the most recent FocusHoops Team of the Week.
Sunday's only clash is a good one as Manchester Mystics (3-2) head out on the road to Brent Bulls (3-1). The Bulls will turn out safe in the knowledge that either CoLA or Ipswich will be losing ground this weekend, presenting an opportunity to continue their push to the top if they can navigate coach Fairley's side to end the weekend.
1pm - Cobham Cobras vs Anglia Ruskin University - LIVE STATS / LIVE STREAM
2:15pm - CoLA Southwark Pride vs Endeavour Ipswich Basketball - LIVE STATS
3pm - Loughborough Riders vs Barking Abbey - LIVE STATS / LIVE STREAM
5pm - Worcester Wolves vs Reading Rockets - LIVE STATS / LIVE STREAM
5:30pm - Bristol Academy Flyers vs Thames Valley Cavaliers - LIVE STATS
3pm - Brent Bulls vs Manchester Mystics - LIVE STATS
Live stream details will be added as they become available
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Main image credit - Richard Leach
