The Maritime Women’s Basketball Association has completed its fourth week of action.
And there are some patterns beginning to emerge as league teams start to keep a wary eye on championship weekend next month in Fredericton.
The PRO•LINE Legacy Cup Final Four championship is set for the magnificent Richard J. Currie Center on the campus of the University of New Brunswick, June 20 to 21.
Playoffs to get to the final quartet will be held June 12 to 14.
How does the MWBA get to championship weekend?
The math is much simpler now with eight teams including four in New Brunswick and four in Nova Scotia.
All teams earn playoff berths following the league’s 10-game regular season.
The top team in each division will face the fourth place team while second and third will clash in the other outing.
The winners of both provincial playoff showdowns advance to Fredericton to decide the league’s fifth championship team.
If the playoffs opened today, for instance, first place in NB Moncton Mystics would face fourth place Miramichi HerIcanes while second place Port City Fog of Saint John would tangle with third place Fredericton Freeze.
In Nova Scotia, the scenario would look like first place Halifax Thunder facing fourth spot Truro Tidal Queens in one semifinal and second place Halifax Hornets meeting Lake City 56ers of Dartmouth/Cole Harbour/Preston in the other set.
Having said all that, plenty is expected to change with key games coming down the pike as the league enters Week V.
We do know this. It’s going to be an exciting stretch run, just like the schedule-maker drew it up.
*Speaking of games, all action moving into this week takes place on the weekend. Halifax Hornets (5-1) pack their bags for New Brunswick and will face the Freeze (2-3) in a 6:30 p.m., meeting at Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium. Lake City (3-4) will also be in the Picture Province, facing Port City (3-3) in a 7 p.m., game at St. Malachy’s Memorial High School in uptown Saint John. There are four games Sunday, beginning at 12:30 p.m., when Fredericton greets the 56ers at LB Gym while at 1 p.m., Truro (0-7) hosts Thunder (6-0) at Dal Agricultural College. Another 1 p.m., game unfolds back at St. Malachy’s when the Hornets meet the Fog in the PRO•LINE Featured Game of the Week. The busy Sunday ends at 3 p.m., when Miramichi (2-6) travels to Moncton (5-2) to tangle with the Mystics at 3 p.m.
*The Wonder Auto&Tire Player of the Week will be announced Tuesday.
*There are three players in the MWBA who have played all five seasons. The veteran cast includes Port City’s Amelia Mitchell, Jasmine Parent of the Hornets and Fredericton’s Eva Tumwine. We will profile the troika in early June.
*The MWBA has a huge hoop salute for PRO•LINE and Cira Nutrition, the official electrolyte provider of league players, for their valuable partnership support.
– Both Halifax Hornets and Moncton Mystics hope to set a date for Fredericton in June. (DW Photo)
