WNBL: High stakes ahead of Spirit's clash against in form Fire

The round four clash in Townsville handed the Spirit a two-point win over the Fire, however, a lot has changed two months later.

The Queenslanders now sit on top of the ladder with an eight-game winning streak after their most recent victory on Wednesday against the Melbourne Boomers.

Whereas the Spirit have dropped their last three games and sit fourth on the ladder and have the Perth Lynx hot on their heels.

Spirit are heading north again this Saturday for their second Fire encounter and the stakes couldn't be higher as only three games remain before playoffs.

After the fifth-placed Lynx made light work of the Adelaide Lightning on Thursday night, a win this weekend couldn't be more important for the Spirit if they want to be on court for the business end of the season.

"Townsville is playing some really good basketball, especially the double overtime win against the Boomers earlier in the week," Spirit head coach Kennedy Kereama said.

"In this league every game is tough and every game is no different to the last.

"We approach each match with a plan and structure that's based around winning.

"Although last week's result (loss to the Southside Flyers) wasn't what we wanted, it was still a step forward."

Related: WNBL: Flyers upset Spirit's stretch to playoffs

The battle with Southside last Saturday went right down to the wire but in the dying minutes of the match at the Geelong Arena it was the Flyers who walked away with a hard-fought 75-69 win.

The Fire have a new roster addition in Shyla Heal who recently joined the team after being released from the Sydney Flames amidst a legal battle between her father and the club.

"Shyla definitely adds depth as a shooter and facilitator but it doesn't change our rules in any way shape or form," Kereama said.

"Nothing can ever stop a team from scoring, but we have a good defensive plan in place that will negate the types of shots they want and force them into situations that are more challenging."

All things said, history always tends to repeat itself.

"We will take our best shot at Townsville," Kereama said.

"We've played them once already this season and came away with the win.This is an opportunity to set ourselves up to win the head-to-head series which is going to be crucial

"That challenge alone is plenty of motivation for our group this weekend."

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Following this match they head across the country next weekend to Western Australia to Perth where they will take on the Lynx on Saturday February 25.

Spirit's last game of the regular season will then be at home against the Fire on Wednesday March 1.

Spirit have been without co-captain Kelsey Griffin since early January and at this stage it's expected she will remain on the sidelines until fully recovered.

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