This is indeed a large weekend looming in the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association.
After two games Wednesday created more logjams in the standings, there are five outings on the weekend that may – or may not – clear up some early season won-loss records.
With that in mind, we take a look at the league leaders in various individual departments.
Abby Miller of the Miramichi Her-Icanes leads the MWBA in rebounds per game, hauling down 10.2 boards per outing. Lindsay Alcorn of the Moncton Mystics is second at 10.0 and Bailey Russell of the Fredericton Freeze is third with 9.4. Allie McCarthy of the Freeze and Sami Russell of the Halifax Thunder share fifth spot with 9.0 per outing.
MacKenzie Smith of Lake City 56ers is the league’s top scoring, averaging 16.7 points per outing. Grace Lancaster of the ‘Canes is second at 15.8 followed by Bailey Russell’s 15.6. Sami Russell is fourth at 15.3 and Amelia Mitchell of Saint John’s Port City Fog is fifth at 15.0.
Setting up those point leaders are a pair of Miramichi backcourt playmakers. Lauren Rainford averages 5.0 assists an outing and teammate Katie Donahoe shares second with Bailey Russell with four helpers per outing. Aki Kobyaski of Lake City is fourth at 3.8 and Courtney Donaldson fifth at 3.5.
Donahoe leads the league in steals with 4.2 thefts per tilt. Vanessa Soffee of Fredericton and Port City’s Erin Ingalls are second with 3.0 and McCarthy is fourth at 2.8. Bianca Helmig and Thunder teammate Alaina McMillan are fifth at 2.5.
Bailey Russell leads the league in shot blocks with two per game.
Lake City sits atop the standings at 5-1 entering weekend play. Miramichi is second at 3-2 and Fredericton third with the same mark, the Freeze losing two games to the Her-Icanes this season to bump them down. Thunder is fourth at 2-2.
Port City sits fifth with a 1-2 mark, followed by Hornets at 1-3 and Mystics, 0-4.
Games this weekend start with the first of a home-and-home with Miramichi and Moncton. The ‘Canes visit Crandall Universityat 2 p.m. for a date with the Mystics. There are a pair of 3 p.m. tilts Saturday.
Port City visits Lake City at the Zatzman Sportsplex in Dartmouth and Fredericton meets the Hornets at Mount St. Vincent University.
On Sunday, Port City and the Hornets tangle at 1 p.m. at MSVU, Moncton visits the ‘Canes at 2 p.m. at Miramichi Valley High School and Fredericton visits Cole Harbour High School for a date with Lake City at 3 p.m.