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The New York Phoenix extended their season with a 110-97 victory over the Albany Patroons on Saturday night (May 31) in Game 2 of the Northeast Division Finals. After trailing early, the Phoenix surged ahead in the second quarter, taking a three-point lead into halftime. They maintained control in the second half, building a double-digit lead in the third quarter and fending off Albany's late rally in the fourth. Shadell Millinghaus led the Phoenix offense with a strong performance.
However, the Albany Patroons bounced back on Sunday (June 1), defeating the Phoenix 102-97 in Game 3 to win the series two games to one. The Patroons jumped to an early lead, going on a 27-5 run in the first quarter. Despite a valiant comeback attempt by the Phoenix, Albany held on to advance to the Northeast Conference Finals. Denzel Banks led the Patroons with 27 points, while Ja'Quaye James and Tyshon Pickett added 23 and 22 points, respectively.
The Patroons will face the Capital Seahawks in the next round, with Game 1 scheduled for Thursday (June 5) in Washington, D.C.
According to News10, the Phoenix's first season in The Basketball League was impressive, finishing with an 18-3 record. Despite the loss, the team has a promising future under head coach Trevis Wyche.