The new-and-improved South West Slammers Women's side was feeling confident going into the State Basketball League's 2020 Pre-season Blitz, on March 6.
Travelling to the Bendat Basketball Centre, coach Nathan Grover and his squad locked horns with a frenetic Mandurah Magic in Round One.
A blistering first-term display saw Mandurah secure a decisive seven-point lead at quarter time.
Olivia Bassett Scarfe (19 points) and Kelly Bailey (8) continued their assault in the second term - widening the gap to 11 by half time.
Ahead by 17 at the final change, the side stormed home to claim a resounding 58 to 40 win.
Ebony Bilcich (top-scoring for the Slammers with 18) put up two jump-shots, four three-pointers, and two from the charity stripe.
A re-invigorated Slammers' side went up against last year's SBL premiers, the Rockingham Flames, in Round Two.
Trailing by one at quarter time, the Flames took the lead in the second term before nabbing an eight-point buffer at the main break.
Efforts from Ariana Hertherington (13) and Courtney Stothard (12) saw Rockingham extend its margin late in the third quarter.
Suffering a 58 to 71 loss, the Slammers finished 11th on the ladder above Kalamunda, Perry Lakes, and WA Country Women.
Slammers' import Mari Stewart top-scored with 21, beating out teammate Brittni Montgomery (16) and Rockingham's Chelsea Roberts (15).
