The Maritime Women’s Basketball Association has always been about the game and giving back.
Since launch in 2022, the MWBA has watched over 225 players play the game and many have turned to coaching as well.
Which is why the MWBA salutes many present and past players preparing for Canada Basketball age-class championships Aug. 2 to 8.
The girls’ under-17 and under-15 national title pursuit is set for Bishop’s University Sport Centre in Sherbrooke, QU. The boys’ age class tournaments are at University of Regina in Saskatchewan.
‘It’s fantastic to look at youth rosters across the Maritimes and see how many women who have played or coached in the MWBA are giving back to the next generation of players,’ said MWBA commissioner, Jen Lloyd of Dartmouth, NS. ‘It truly is about giving back. We wish all our youth teams in the Maritimes the best at their nationals. It’s an amazing experience.’
In New Brunswick, its under-15 girls’ team is a familiar name to MWBA fans.
Emily Briggs will guide the squad as head coach. Briggs has appeared in 30 games in the MWBA, playing with Port City Fog of Saint John, Moncton Mystics and Fredericton Freeze. Longtime Basketball New Brunswick and University of New Brunswick Reds’ assistant coach, Peter Kelly, joins Benjamin Mowatt on Briggs’ staff.
MWBA scoring machine Allie McCarthy and former Freeze guard Kylee Speedy are associate coaches with BNB’s under-17 entrant under the direction of head coach Nate Horsman. Steve Vienneau is also on the staff.
Neil Smith, who guided the Miramichi HerIcanes to the 2025 PROLINE Legacy Cup championship, is back in the national mix with BNB under-17 boys’ team.
Basketball Nova Scotia features a number of MWBA connections.
Katie Upham, a former member of the Halifax Thunder, will lead BNS’ under-15 girls’ team. Upham’s entire staff, actually, has MWBA connections.
Ava MacNutt of the reigning PROLINE Legacy Cup reigning champion Thunder, joins Sara Brazil of the Hornets and former Hornet, Aliyah Fraser on Upham’s staff.
Patrick Havard, who guided the MWBA’s Lake City 56ers of Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Preston to a 2025 regular season title and championship appearance, will coach BNS’ under-17 girls’ team.
Zoe Olscamp, who played with Lake City in 2025, is the manager of Basketball Prince Edward Island’s under-17 girls’ squad.
– Ava MacNutt, left, battles for the ball in MWBA play. She is coaching with Basketball NS this summer. (DW Photo)
