By Chris Wilson

Canberra Capitals forward Eleanor Sharp is confident she will be able to shake off the fatigue of glandular fever and make an impact in the Women's National Basketball League finals.

Sharp has not played for eight weeks but she will make her comeback against the Adelaide Lightning at the AIS Arena tonight. Sharp first suffered the symptoms of glandular fever in September, when she had to withdraw from an Australian Basketball Association finals match with her Melbourne club, Kilsyth.

However, it wasn't until the symptoms struck again in early December that Sharp was diagnosed with glandular fever. Sharp spent the next three weeks in bed and she has slowly increased her activity to be ready for tonight's comeback. Sharp had her first training session back with the Capitals on Tuesday.

"I won't feel 100 per cent for a little while yet," Sharp said. "I don't have the training behind me to come in and play a full game. But I feel confident I can play within my limits and contribute to the team."

Tonight's game will be the Capitals' last before the WNBL finals. The Capitals have already wrapped up the minor premiership and home advantage for the major semi-final on February 8.

The Capitals are aiming for their fourth successive grand final and their third title in four years.

Sharp has been involved in all the finals campaigns and said it was important to make her comeback before the play-offs started.

"That's something we [coach Tom Maher] talked about, getting my feet wet before the finals so as not to go into them cold," Sharp said.

"I've been sitting on the bench watching us play, and each game really has been like a finals match. I'm glad [my comeback] is against a quality team because that's the best way to test where I'm at.

"I'm hoping to make a good contribution. I feel I'm getting better each week so I'm pretty confident that by the end of the finals I'll be feeling much stronger and be able to contribute much more."

Adelaide (11-8) needs to win against the Capitals tonight or the AIS tomorrow night to ensure the fourth and final spot in the playoffs. The Capitals, Sydney Flames and Townsville Fire have already cemented their spots.

Capitals coach Tom Maher refused to rest any of his stars for tonight's game even though it has no bearing on the club's finals position. "If you're going to play in the finals you prepare to play in the finals," Maher said.

"The concept of resting players unnecessarily or doing different tactics, that's crazy stuff, that never works ... we have to maintain a standard to adhere to."

Profits from tonight's game will be donated to the Canberra bushfire appeal.