The Osceola Magic will face the Motor City Cruise in the Eastern Conference semifinals at 7 p.m. ET Friday, April 3, at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla. ESPNU will broadcast the game.
Osceola finished the regular season 26-10 and first in the Eastern Conference for the third straight season. The Magic advanced with a 119-117 victory over the Long Island Nets in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Colin Castleton scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Reece Beekman set an Osceola Magic franchise playoff record with 12 assists.
Colin Castleton, Isaac Jones Set for Paint Battle
Castleton will be a central figure for the Osceola Magic. The two-way player joined the team last season and averaged 22.6 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 70.4 percent from the field during the Tip Off Tournament. A hand injury in late November delayed him, but he returned in late February and averaged 17.6 points and 11.1 rebounds while finishing the regular season with seven consecutive double-doubles.
Motor City will counter with Isaac Jones, a two-way center and Washington State product. Jones is averaging career highs of 22.2 points and 1.9 blocks while shooting 61.6 percent from the field. In two games against Osceola this season, Jones averaged 26 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 67.9 percent from the field.
“We feed off the energy. We know they [the fans] got our backs. Whenever we go on a run, we hear them pushing us and supporting us. Also, whenever we’re down, seven or eight or 10 points, they help lift us to get going on a run. I think that’s huge for the playoffs. Being able to secure the one seed, being able to have our fans behind us and going into every game know they’re going to give us confidence”
Both teams rank inside the top 12 across the league on the perimeter, but the matchup is expected to begin inside. The team that controls the paint early will have the opportunity to open up its perimeter game.
Motor City Cruise Earn First Playoff Victory
The Motor City Cruise reached the playoffs for the second time in franchise history after finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 22-14 record. The Cruise earned its first playoff victory with a 120-105 upset of Raptors 905. Wendell Moore Jr. led Motor City with 27 points in the win.
Osceola Magic and Motor City Cruise are tied 5-5 in their series history. Osceola is 1-2 at home and 4-3 away in the series. The Magic won the most recent meeting 125-119 on March 27, 2026, at Wayne State Fieldhouse, where Jones led the game with 30 points and 12 rebounds and Beekman had six assists for Osceola.
Source: Original report