Anxious?
Ya got that right.
The doors opened at Moncton Harrison Trimble High School on a Sunday afternoon back in April of 2022.
Would anyone come through those doors was the question.
The scene was set as the first-ever Maritime Women’s Basketball Association game, a pre-season outing, but hometown Moncton Mystics were preparing to face Fredericton Freeze.
Months of planning had gone into the creation of the MWBA.
Push had come to shove that April day.
Did the fans come?
Did they ever, flocking to the gymnasium for a full house gathering as the Freeze edged its host in a game that had people talking after, setting the stage for the league’s inaugural season.
Moncton has been a staple in the MWBA since Day 1, offering one of the best in-game experiences in the league.
The Mystics have one New Brunswick Division regular season title under its belt and also captured the Battle at the Border championship in 2024 when the league’s four New Brunswick-based teams gathered in St. Stephen for pre-season action in association with the World’s Oldest Basketball Court.
The Mystics were the brainchild of founder Shannon Parlee, who has had Judy Vautour at her side since it all started. Aided by a solid cast of volunteers, the Mystic are a core member of the MWBA.
Moncton has moved to a larger venue, playing its home games out of Crandall University, but the support has followed the Mystics at home and on the road.
We.Are.Here.
In Moncton.
– Jen Morehouse Graphic/City of Moncton Photo
