Are we having fun yet?
Yes, indeed.
Through four weeks of Maritime Women’s Basketball Association play, every team in the seven-squad circuit has a win, it’s tight at the top and the scenes are going to be set for some dramatic post-season action as we move into June.
Let’s take a spin around the MWBA, see who’s leading individual categories, team standings and more.
First up, MacKenzie Smith of Dartmouth/Cole Harbour’s Lake City 56ers, leads all scorers, averaging 20.4 points per outing. The former National Collegiate Athletic Association stalwart with St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, has been a consistent scoring threat for the first place Lakers.
Lauren Rainford of Miramichi Her-Icanes is nestled into second spot, averaging 17.0 points per game. Bailey Russell of Fredericton Freeze is third at 15.6 and Miramichi’s Grace Lancaster is fourth at 14.4 Halifax Thunder’s Sami Russell rounds out the top at 14.2 PPG.
On the rebound side of the ball, Abby Miller of the Her-icanes leads with 9.5 boards per game. Fredericton’s Allie McCarthy is at 9.2 and Moncton’s duo of Lindy Alcorn and Celine Sterckel share third spot at 9.0. Bailey Russell is fifth with 9.0 rebounds an outing.
Rainford leads the derby in assists with 5.0 a game and Lake City’s Aki Kobayaski is second at 4.8. Courtney Donaldson, the MWBA’s all-time leading scorer, shares third with Bailey Russell at 3.9 and MCarthy has 3.8 PPG.
Katie Donahoe leads the good hands society with 3.5 steals per game. McCarthy is second with 2.8 and her teammate Vanessa Soffee is third at 2.5. Lancaster and Katelyn Power of Halifax Hornets average 2.4 per game.
We’re gearing up for a busy weekend with three games Saturday and another trio Sunday.
Starting Saturday at 4 p.m., the Hornets visit Moncton at Crandall University. Halifax arrives at 2-5 and Moncton sits at 1-6.
There is a neutral site game at 6 p.m., in St. George, NB, when the host Port City Fog of Saint John welcome Thunder to Fundy High Middle School.
The Fog is 1-6 and Thunder comes to town at 3-2.
The final game Saturday night is Fredericton at home to Miramichi at 7 p.m. at Fredericton High School.
Host Freeze is 4-3 and Miramichi sits second overall at 5-1 and on a five-game win streak.
Turning the page to Sunday, Thunder visits Fredericton at 1 p.m. (FHS), Hornets continue the road trip with a date on Miramichi at 2 p.m. and Fog visits Moncton at 4 p.m.
– Lauren Rainford’s fingerprints are all over the MWBA leader board (DWinston Photo)