Think of it as the Schuylkill League girls basketball version of Army-Navy, Michigan-Ohio State or the Red Sox-Yankees.

Marian and Pottsville Nativity have been long time rivals on the court. For decades, they have been two of the premier small school programs - not only in the district, but in the state.

Multiple matchups during a season are nothing new for the Fillies and Golden Girls, who will renew that tradition tonight when they meet at 6 p.m. at Martz Hall in Pottsville for the District 11 Class 1A championship.

Nativity has won two consecutive District 11 titles, including a victory over Marian in last year’s championship game.

Meanwhile, Marian’s last District title was in 2014. The Fillies will be going after their 10th district title overall.

The two previous meetings this season between the schools proved to be important wins for Marian.

The Fillies traveled to Pottsville on Jan. 11, and for the first time in several years, defeated the Golden Girls (44-35) on their home court. The game was tied at the half, and Marian led by three points after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth period.

“Besides getting a win there for the first time in an awful long time, that victory sent us off to better things,” said first-year Marian coach Damian Fritz. “Since then, we worked harder. We also played with a lot more confidence.”

Nativity coach Scott Forney had this recollection of the first regular season meting.

“We were neck and neck with them until the last minute in the game when we had to foul and hope they would miss,” he said.

A month later, the Golden Girls walked into a stampede on the Fillies’ home court.

“We needed a win to clinch the league’s Division 3 title that night,” said Fritz. “And the feeling was that nobody was going to beat us.”

Led by junior Ashley Pleban’s 17 points, Marian rolled to a 56-34 victory.

“They definitely put the thumb down on us that night,” said Forney.

One difference tonight from the regular season meetings is that Marian will be playing without its six-foot center Fatika Tikhtova, who is ineligible for the post season by PIAA rule because she transferred into the school this year.

The Fillies (19-5) still have plenty of firepower left, though, and are getting solid scoring from sophomores Frankie Martinelli and Carly Minchhoff, along with Pleban. All three players average a little over nine points a game for a balanced Marian attack that also features Kerrigan Digris, who is averaging just over seven points a contest.

Forney knows what to expect.

“They’re solid on the defensive end, and it’s usually one-and-done when opponents put up a shot,” he said. “They have a great inside game, too, and Minchhoff can shoot all around the perimeter.”

Nativity is led by senior three-year starter Kami Abdo, junior forward Madison Kramer, and sophomore point guard Grace Brennan. Kramer and Brennan combined for 26 points in Nativity’s rout of Lincoln Leadership in the semifinals.

Fritz is aware of the iconic Martz Hall mystique, and is excited about playing there for the second time in a couple of weeks after pushing favorite North Schuylkill to the wire before falling in the Schuylkill League semifinals in the court.

“We’ll have some jitters, I’m sure with being the No. 1 seed and playing in such a great arena,” said Fritz.

Despite Nativity’s 8-14 record, Fritz said the Fillies know that they’ll have their hands full.

“We’re in a rivalry game against the defending districts champs, who we are looking to dethrone,” he said. “They’ll be ready to go, and so will we. It should be a terrific game.”