The Tacoma Tide (8-5) basketball team has had more ups than downs during the 2009 season. As the season has progressed, the Tide players have found themselves in close games, making impressive comebacks but often falling short in the end.

The team has recently added former Life Christian Academy and Washington State University guard Justin Murray, who has just returned from playing in a pro league in Dubai. Murray quickly has shown his explosive shooting skills, averaging 25.5 points in his first two games.

Despite Murray’s presence, the Tide came up short in his first game with the team when they faced their rival, the Seattle Mountaineers (10-7), in a rematch that would have the Mountaineers come out on top, 99-95.

The next night, Murray would provide great leadership and shooting in the 128-95 route of the Olympia Reign (0-4).

Against the Mountaineers, the Tide’s aggressive defense was solid all through the game, adding 16 points off of turnovers. But offensively, the Tide struggled with lay-ups, runners, banks, and jumpers - it didn’t matter what the Tide threw up, nothing seem to fall. Murray came up big in the final minutes hitting four 3-pointers sparking a run, but the Tide ran out of clock. Murray ended the night with 26 points.

The next night the Tide would not allow its three-game losing streak to continue, as they found their range against the Olympia. The Reign managed to hang around until the second half, but then the Tide broke loose, going on 15-9 run. Murray and forward Dontay Harris dropped 25 points in the 33-point route.