The atmosphere was lively and the offence was too, as the Port City Fog gave its hometown fans in Saint John reason to celebrate after a Sunday matinee.
Port City earned an 80-71 win over the visiting Moncton Mystics in the lone Maritime Women’s Basketball Association game.
Fog held what appeared to be a commanding 48-29 halftime lead before the Mystics and its scrappy roster came back to make things tight in the second half.
Kaylee Kilpatrick, back in her hometown after a lengthy pro career in Ireland, Australia and Germany, powered the Fog attack with 20 points. Rachel Farwell potted 18, Bailey Henderson nine and Courtney Thomas seven.
It was a balanced Moncton offence, paced by 14 points from both Kelly Vass and Abby Miller. Jenna Jones and Maddy Daley had 11 each and Kelsey McLaughlin joined the double digit club with 10.
Port City picked up its second win of the season, moving to 2-6 and remaining in fifth spot.
The Mystics are winless in six trips.
There is one mid-week game with the Battle of Halifax looming Wednesday in the Nova Scotia capital.
Host Halifax Thunder greet Halifax Hornets in a 7 p.m. date at Saint Mary’s University.
Thunder leads the pack with a 6-0 record followed by the 5-1 Hornets at 10 points. Windsor Edge and Fredericton Freeze are tied for third at 3-3 and six points followed by Port City and Moncton.
The top seeds in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick receive an opening round bye for the Final 6 championship June 24-26 in Halifax.
The second place Nova Scotia team will face third New Brunswick and second New Brunswick faces third Nova Scotia in quarter-final play.
– Kaylee Kilpatrick had a season high points total Sunday (DWinston File Photo)