Game of the Week
Melbourne (7-2) vs Dandenong (5-3)
Saturday 8:30pm at Mill Park
This is huge contest for both teams, who will put absolutely contrasting styles and teams on the floor. Melbourne's approach has been well documented, with a fleet of running guards pushing an up-tempo that simply reflects the style of their Coach. Dandenong's is just to dominate the game with some of the tallest timber in all of the ABA.

Added to the mix this week is none other than Simon Conn who, without stepping on court since his return to Australia a week or so back, is already being courted by at least two NBL clubs. It will be interesting to see how Coach Dawson users his four talls in this affair, but Conn would be almost guaranteed to spend most of his time at the five, with Hobba perhaps going outside more where we all know he can unleash the three. This match-up is one of opposites, we have no idea which way it will go.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Melbourne 1 are tied with Dandenong 1
Coaches Records: Darryl McDonald (Melb) 5-3 (63%) / Warren Dawson (Dan) 23-13 (64%)

Diamond Valley (2-7) vs Sandringham (9-0)
Saturday 7:30pm at DV
The leagues all time leading shooter is David Moore, who just happened to return the Sandringham and the Big V this week after a long College stint. The Sabres just get stronger ahead of Round 8 and opposition teams just need to cope with a front line of Moore and Wheeler, with Timmons popping up inside the key or at the arc.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Diamond Valley 1 trail Sandringham 11
Coaches Records: Kelvin Bowers (DV) 2-7 (22%) / Vince Crivelli (Sand) 125 - 37 (77%)
Milestones: Darren Holness (DV) needs just 2 games for 150 in Big V Competition
Warwick Straw (DV) needs just 38 points to 1000 in Big V Competition
Marcus Timmons (Sandringham) needs just 21 defensive rebounds for 500 in Big V competition

Latrobe City (2-6) vs Hume City (4-4)
Saturday 8:00pm at Moe
The Pacers debut new league Head Coach Craig Adams and the former NBL player has also registered to play if required - that will help their frontline but it will take some adjustment with Vickerman having left for Singapore.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Latrobe City 0 trail Hume City 3
Coaches Records: Craig Adams (LatC) 0-0 (0%) / Kevin Fleming (Hume) 43-18 (70%)

Waverley (5-4) vs Warrnambool (6-3)
Saturday 8:15pm at Waverley
The Seahawks are 3-1 on the road this season and Coach Rod Hind will be looking to take an even better set of numbers home as his side matches up against two out-of-sorts teams. Waverley really need to get it together and get back on a roll.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Waverley 3 trail Warrnambool 9
Coaches Records: Mike Slusher (Wav) 37-69 (35%) / Rod Hind (Warn) 6-3 (67%)
Milestones: Bobby Cunningham needs 2 games for 150 in Big V Competition

Werribee (2-7) vs Ringwood (3-6)
Saturday 8:15pm at Werribee
The Hawks have already taken one game off Werribee this season and will just want to double it up here - and they have the tools to do it with Eversteyn and McMillan both in good form last weekend.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Werribee 8 lead Ringwood 5
Coaches Records: Warrick Giddey (Werr) 50-35 (59%) / Ken Harrington (Ring) 47-34 (58%)
Milestones: Jason Eversteyn (Ringwood) needs just 15 points for 1000 in Big V Competition

Dandenong (5-3) vs Latrobe City (2-6)
Sunday 2:00pm at Dandenong
A baptism of fire for Adams as his third to last Latrobe City group take on the fourth and sixth ranked teams in his opening weekend. Dandenong will use all their strengths in this game - the Pacers look to have little chance of matching up on them well.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Dandenong 2 lead Latrobe City 0
Coaches Records: Warren Dawson (Dan) 23-13 (64%) / Craig Adams (LatC) 0-0 (0%)

Hume City (4-4) vs Warrnambool (6-3)
Sunday 2:15pm at Broadmeadows
The Bronco's have a tough trip to Moe before coming home to take on the Seahawks, a team that has given them plenty of bother in their short time in the Big V. The Corral will welcome back Shane Smith, but that will be as warm as it gets.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Hume City 3 are tied with Warrnambool 3
Coaches Records: Kevin Fleming (Hume) 43-18 (70%) / Rod Hind (Warn) 6-3 (67%)
Milestones: Bobby Cunningham needs 2 games for 150 in Big V Competition

Eltham (3-6) vs Waverley (5-4)
Sunday 2:30pm at Eltham High School
Eltham will relish the chance to take on the Falcons at their house and after the Falcons have faced Warrnambool Saturday as a warm-up. Look for the Wildcats guards to be getting up tempo at every opportunity.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Eltham 7 lead Waverley 5
Coaches Records: Andre Sammut (Elth) 61-69 (46%) / Mike Slusher (Wav) 37-69 (35%)

Championship Women

Game of the Week
Geelong (5-4) vs Hume City (4-5)
Sunday 3;00pm at the Arena
The Cats and the Bronco's both have Saturday night match-ups to look after before they get to this so the importance of this game might rest on how well either of them do in those games but this will still count for plenty in the season's analysis. Geelong are pretty much the upstart side of the competition at this point with Sandy, Eltham, Dandenong and Hume expected the dominate the rankings - and but for the injuries and unavailability's that have affected Hume that might well be the case.

Geelong should take full advantage of that here. Penaluna should be back but Milner is expected to miss along with Tammy Hoare. When they played earlier this year Hume were at full strength and gave the Cats a 25 point thumping. A win here will give them a chance of securing head to head against Hume, who they play again late June at Broadmeadows.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Geelong 2 trail Hume City 5
Coaches Records: Marissa Kol (Geel) 22-43 (34%) / Glen Milner (Hume) 26-24 (52%)
Milestones: Candice Rogers (Geelong) needs 22 defensive rebounds for 500 in Big V Competition
Chelsea Tate (Hume City) needs just 2 games for 50 in Big V Competition

Melbourne (3-7) vs Geelong (5-4)
Saturday 6:30pm at Mill Park
The Tigers really took their game to Dandenong last weekend to fall by just eight points. Replicating that sort of form might well deliver a win here - although they have lost their last two to the Cats.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Melbourne 10 lead Geelong 3
Coaches Records: Paul Simpson (Melb) 66-42 (61%) / Marissa Kol (Geel) 22-43 (34%)
Milestones: Candice Rogers (Geelong) needs 22 defensive rebounds for 500 in Big V Competition

Eltham (8-1) vs Hume City (4-5)
Saturday 7:30pm at Eltham High School
A long hard road for Hume this weekend, with this game first up and then the trek to the Arena. The Wildcats last lost to Hume in July last year and given form and injury, that should not change here.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Eltham 5 lead Hume City 3
Coaches Records: Jeremi Moule (Elth) 30-7 (81%) / Glen Milner (Hume) 26-24 (52%)
Milestones: Marnie Hay (Elth) needs 4 defensive rebounds for 500 in Big V Competition

Bulleen (1-9 vs Coburg (1-8)
Saturday 8:00pm at Templestowe
This game is shaping as a contenders game for the wooden spoon. These two sides only meet twice this year and Coburg has already defeated Bulleen once, by just seven points. Adding to the interest is the fact that the Giants have not won at Bulleen since April 2004.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Bulleen 16 lead Coburg 5
Coaches Records: Michael McBrien (Bull) 1-9 (10%) / Rino Zancan (Cob) 59-85 (41%)

Dandenong (7-3) vs Sandringham (9-0)
Saturday 8:00pm at Dandenong
If the Rangers want to make a real mark on this competition then this is probably their best chance. The Sabres simply purring at the moment and Dandenong going well, but needing for their own self-beliefs sake to bring the front runners down.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Dandenong 2 trail Sandringham 4
Coaches Records: Michael Davies (Dan) 24-6 (80%) / Lori Chizik (Sand) 54-27 (67%)
Milestones: Jess Shearing (Dandenong) needs just three points for 1000 in Big V Competition

Waverley (4-5) vs Dandenong (7-3)
Sunday 2:15pm at Waverley
The Falcons are in the box seat to some degree this weekend. Teams either side of them on the ladder play each other and have two game weekends and their opponent here, who they have never defeated in Big V competition, is on their second game - they need to take full advantage.

Big V Historical Information
All Time Head to Head: Waverley 0 trail Dandenong 3
Coaches Records: Matt Dickens (Wav) 16-15 (52%) / Michael Davies (Dan) 24-6 (80%)
Milestones: Jess Shearing (Dandenong) needs just three points for 1000 in Big V Competition