Mystics advance to ACAA championship final

(Halifax, NS) The 2025-26 ACAA Men's Basketball Championship continued this afternoon with the first semi-final matchup as top-seeded host Mount Saint Vincent Mystics advanced after defeating the Crandall Chargers 97-66 Saturday evening at the A. Garnet Brown Memorial Gymnasium.  The Mystics advance to the championship game tomorrow afternoon as they await their opponent. 

Isaiah Cromwell-Wright (Dartmouth, NS) paced the Mystics' offence, finishing with a game-high 21 points, while grabbing 5 rebounds. Chase Tynes (Loon Lake, NS) had a well-rounded performance as he tallied 12 points, dished out 9 assists, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Anthony Lecky (Sydney River, NS) chipped in with 16 points off the bench for the Mystics. 

Colby McIntosh (Florenceville, NB) finished with a team-high 19 points and 9 rebounds. Ethan Culberson (Hartland, NB) recorded 17 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Off the bench, Caleb Rennie (Ajax, ON) contributed with 8 points for the Chargers. 

As teams took the court this evening, Chase Tynes (Loon Lake, NS) would find an offensive rebound and kick it out to Isaiah Cromwell-Wright for the second-chance three to put the top seed Mystics on the board. A few possessions later, Ben Kearney (New Waterford, NS) would anticipate a pass which led to a transition dunk to give the Mystics an early 5-0 lead. Teams would trade baskets early; first, the Mystics would get a three as the shot clock expired from Tynes. Next, Caleb Rennie (Ajax, ON) would bury a three for the Chargers. Momentum would swing as Caleb McIntosh would crash the offensive glass to tie the game up at 10. Midway through the quarter, Tynes would take the ball strong to his right hand and rise over his defender to increase the Mystics' lead. In their next possession, Adam Callaghan (Sydney, NS) would be left open to connect for a long-distance three for the Mystics. As the quarter continued, the Chargers would respond when Ethan Culberson would attack past his defender for the right-handed lay-up to narrow the Mystics' lead to 17-14. With three minutes remaining in the quarter, Tynes would find Anthony Lecky as he found a spot in the middle of the lane to elevate for the mid-range jumper. A few possessions later, Tynes would find Lecky again as the off-ball screen freed up space for the easy lay-up, putting the Mystics up by five. With 45 seconds remaining, the Mystics would gather a defensive rebound and pushed it in transition to find Kearney near the basket as he ascended to the basket for the lay-up. At the end of the quarter, the Mystics led 27-16. 

When play commenced, the Mystics would continue to control the glass, as Nate Titus (Stouffville, ON) would leverage himself below the basket where he would find the offensive rebound which led to his lay-up over the defender. Titus would continue to have an impact for the Mystics, as he stole an entry pass and then advanced the ball to Tynes in transition for a quick lay-up to stretch their lead to 33-22. In a response to the quick basket, the Chargers would counter with made mid-range jumper by Culberson. Out of a timeout, the Mystics drew up a play that isolated Cromwell-Wright on the right wing and he would convert the mid-range jumper off the jab-step. Tynes would continue to make an impact on the game when he would rise up over a crowd of Chargers' defenders and come down with the defensive rebound and then fire a full-court baseball pass that hit Titus in stride for a transition lay-up. Momentum would remain with the Mystics when Kearney would record their sixth offensive rebound on his put-back lay-up to give them a 15-point advantage. With four minutes to play, Callaghan would dive on a loose ball giving the Mystics an extra possession. With time dwindling in the quarter, Tynes would slowly probe at the top of the key as he anticipated an opening where he would find Kearney behind the Chargers' defence for a left-handed lay-up putting the Mystics up 47-28. With less than one minute remaining in the quarter, Callaghan would rise up for a transition three to stretch the Mystics. In succession, the Mystics would use an outlet pass by Cromwell-Wright that would find Tynes, who found Kearney as he was falling out of bounds for the transition lay-up. The Mystics would close the half with a 54-30 lead over the Chargers. 

Things opened up with the Chargers striking first when Culberson connected from the right wing for three. As momentum continued to swing to the Chargers, Luca Del Bosco (Montreal, QC) hit from deep to cut the lead to 19. A few possessions later, the Mystics would respond when a long rebound would fall into Tynes' hands as their ball movement would lead to Cromwell-Wright finishing strong at the basket. Four minutes into the quarter, Callaghan would catch the ball on the left side and attacked with his off-hand aggressively to the basket for the and-one finish to increase their lead to 23. Tynes continued to be the X-factor for the Mystics as he would secure a defensive rebound and push the pace as he euro-stepped around his defender for the tough basket. Moments later, Tynes would protect the Mystics' rim with two impact blocks. With 90 seconds remaining in the quarter, Lecky would catch the outlet pass and rise up for the transition three through the contact and then in the following position would race to the basket in transition over his defender to increase their lead to 34. The Mystics would take an 84-49 lead into the final quarter. 

As the fourth quarter started, the Chargers went on a 7-0 run, thanks to their continued attack early on. The Mystics would respond when Lecky would attack the defence for the and-one finish to regain the momentum. Midway through the quarter, the Chargers would quickly respond as McIntosh would finish with an up-and-under lay-up. Ultimately, the Mystics' lead would be insurmountable, and victory would be imminent for the hosts. The Mystics would clinch their berth in the championship game tomorrow after defeating the Chargers 97-66. 

Cleve's Source for Sports Player of the Game

Chase Tynes (Mount Saint Vincent Mystics)

Colby McIntosh (Crandall Chargers) 

The Mystics advance to tomorrow's championship matchup as they face the winner of St. Thomas and UNBSJ matchup Sunday afternoon. Game time is at 3:30 p.m.