The Fredericton Freeze is heating up.
The Freeze has scored 185 points its last two games, but none more critical than a highly-entertaining and emotional outing Saturday against the Halifax Thunder in Maritime Women’s Basketball Association.
Fredericton appeared to have the game in hand with a 77-69 lead with 1:37 to play in the fourth quarter, before the Thunder made a charge late, closing to within three, but that is where it ended, the visiting Freeze pulling out an 80-77 win and sending Halifax to its first loss of the season.
Ann Bastien put on a show with a game-high 21 points to spark Fredericton. Bailey Russell counted 18 and Kristen Taylor sunk 15. Maheva Ngassam scored 10.
Elizabeth Beals-Iseyemi sparked Thunder with 16 points. Justine Colley-Leger meshed 13.
Fredericton moved to 5-4 and can clinch second place in the New Brunswick Division with a win Sunday in Truro against the Tidal Queens.
Halifax is 8-1 and has clinched top spot in the Nova Scotia Division. It will host Port City Fog of Saint John on Sunday in its final game, but will face Truro in the provincial semifinal next week for the right to attend the PROLINE Legacy Cup in Fredericton, June 20-21.
The Freeze will either be at home or on the road to meet Port City in a New Brunswick semifinal, pending the outcome of Fog’s game against Thunder tomorrow.
Fredericton’s win was the first time it has defeated Thunder since the league’s inception in 2022.
– Ann Bastien of the Freeze posted a game high 21 points. (Fran Harris File Photo)
