Final Score: New York Phoenix 138 – Tri City Tide 96
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Location: Crandall University, Moncton, NB

The Tri City Tide came out with energy and purpose Friday night in front of their home crowd, but a relentless offensive performance by the visiting New York Phoenix ultimately proved too much to handle.

New York, one of the top-scoring teams in The Basketball League, flexed their depth and firepower, outscoring the Tide 138–96. It was the second meeting of the season between the two squads—New York also won their previous contest in dominant fashion.

What Went Right

Despite the final score, the Tide had promising stretches, particularly in the first half. After an electric start, Tri City actually led by three points after the opening quarter. James Towns was aggressive from the jump, scoring 19 points while dishing out 8 assists. Kyler Haynes added a team-high 24 points, showing off his midrange game and finishing strong at the rim.

Rozelle Nix battled inside for 16 points and 3 rebounds on 62% shooting. Doug Thomas was active defensively and led the team with 13 rebounds, providing toughness and energy throughout.

De’monte Nelson and Jalen French made strong contributions off the bench, combining for 16 points and keeping the pace up when the Tide pushed in transition.

What Went Wrong

The challenge was keeping up with New York’s depth. The Phoenix got 90 points from their bench, including a game-high 27 points from David Jason and a blistering 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting from Wynton Hepburn. As a team, New York shot 53% from the field and 41% from deep.

The second half told the story—after trailing by just a few possessions in the second quarter, the Tide were outscored 39–21 in the third and couldn’t close the gap. New York punished turnovers, scoring 33 points off Tri City’s 23 giveaways.

Another major gap came in the paint, where the Phoenix dominated 62–28 and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds to the Tide’s 7. Second-chance points (21–5 in favor of New York) were a difference-maker all night.

What Needs to Change

To stay competitive with elite teams like New York, the Tide need to protect the basketball and tighten their paint defense. With the physical presence of players like Nix and Thomas, the potential is there—but securing defensive rebounds and limiting second-chance opportunities must be a top priority moving forward.

On the offensive end, finding consistent three-point production will also be key. The Tide shot just 25% from beyond the arc (7-27), compared to New York’s 41%.

Still, there’s a lot to build on. The starting unit showed cohesion early, and with players like Haynes, Nelson, and Towns all capable of creating offense, the ingredients for a strong finish are in place.

What’s Next?

They’ll have a full week to regroup before traveling to Halifax for a rematch against the Hoopers—one of the top teams in the division.

The last time these two teams met, Halifax used a huge third quarter to pull away, and the Tide will be looking to flip the script this time. Expect a spirited effort from a squad that knows time is running out but refuses to fold.

Tip-off in Halifax is set for Friday, May 23. You won’t want to miss it.