The Maritime Women’s Basketball Association is set to roll.
In fact, it will be the May 6 and 7 weekend the MWBA kicks off its second season of action on the heels of last year’s remarkable success story.
The six-team league hopes to follow suit in 2023 with the release of its 10-game regular season schedule.
‘We had some many questions entering into last year, but the league and all its teams came together and we were incredibly fortunate to put on a show that was embraced by thousands of fans, our partners and media,’ said MWBA commissioner, Tasia McKenna, of Timberlea, NS. ‘We entered 2022 with some anxious moments, but it all came together under the basketball of women playing basketball. We cannot wait for our second season.’
The wait won’t be long for reigning champion Halifax Hornets, Halifax Thunder, Windsor Edge, Fredericton Freeze, Moncton Mystics and Saint John’s Port City Fog.
It all kicks off Saturday, May 6, in Saint John as the hometown Fog welcomes New Brunswick Highway 7 rival Fredericton Freeze.
Game time is 7 p.m., tentatively scheduled for the University of New Brunswick at Saint John.
The two teams will tangle again Sunday, May 7, as the scene shifts to Fredericton High School for a 1 p.m. clash.
The Nova Scotia teams will open May 7 when the Hornets begin defence of their Legacy Cup title on the road in Windsor to face the Edge.
An all-Halifax battle awaits Tuesday, May 9, in a rematch of last year’s final at Saint Mary’s University.
Moncton will wait until the league’s first big weekend event May 13 and 14 in Fredericton to showcase the Mystics.
Regular season ticket prices for adults, seniors and students are aligned across all six teams. Adult prices are $7 per game and seniors and students are $5. The majority of teams offer no charge admission to youth 14 and under, but please check with your local entrant on that policy.
Ticket prices for weekend sessions are $35 for six games, a savings of one game. Day passes are $20 and single game passes are the same as regular season rates.
A year ago, all six teams met in Fredericton to begin its history-making season.
‘We had the lingering threat of COVID and all the questions surrounding ‘what if’ scenarios and we wanted to make sure we had a contingency plan in place to play and the idea of all six teams in one spot gathered steam and proved very popular,’ said McKenna. ‘It turned into such a fun, competitive and social weekend that we wanted to continue that format where we could.’
Fredericton will welcome the other five teams to Bliss Carman Middle School with games at 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on May 13 followed by three Sunday games.
All six games will feature New Brunswick teams against Nova Scotia entrants.
Thunder will host the MWBA on June 3 and 4 at Saint Mary’s.
Saint John will host the championship weekend with all six teams in attendance June 16 to 18.
There will be two quarter-final games played June 16 with third place regular season (overall) facing sixth-ranked team and No. 4 meeting No. 5 with the first-place finishers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick receiving a bye to the semifinals.
Semifinals and consolation will be held June 17 leading to third place game and championship on June 18.
The following is the schedule:*
Saturday, May 6 – Fredericton at Saint John, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 7 – Saint John at Fredericton, 1 p.m. (FHS)
Sunday, May 7 – Halifax Hornets at Windsor
Tuesday, May 9 – Halifax Hornets at Halifax Thunder
Thursday, May 11 – Saint John at Moncton, 7 p.m. (HTHS)
Saturday, May 13, Sunday, May 14 All Six Teams
At Fredericton (Bliss Carman Middle School)
Thursday, May 18 – Fredericton at Moncton, 7 p.m. (HTHS)
Thursday, May 25 – Moncton at Fredericton, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 26 – Halifax Thunder at Halifax Hornets, 7 p.m. (MSVU)
Saturday, May 27 – Halifax Thunder at Windsor
Sunday, May 28 – Windsor at Halifax Hornets, 4 p.m. (MSVU)
Wednesday, May 31 – Halifax Thunder at Halifax Hornets, 7 p.m. (MSVU)
Thursday, June 1 – Moncton at Saint John, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 3, Sunday, June 4 All Six Teams
At Halifax (Saint Mary’s University)
Thursday, June 8 – Windsor at Halifax Thunder
Thursday, June 8 – Fredericton at Saint John, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 10 – Moncton at Fredericton 1 p.m.
Saturday, June 10 – Halifax Hornets at Windsor
Sunday, June 11 – Saint John at Moncton, 4 p.m. (HTHS)
June 16 to 18 – Championship Weekend at Saint John
*Times TBD; Venues Confirmed Late April
Does not include pre-season games