2nd Quarter Sinks Maine Celtics
Published on February 3, 2023 under NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
PORTLAND, ME - The Maine Celtics dropped their fourth-straight and the seventh in the last eight games, falling to the College Park Skyhawks, 114-96.
Luka Šamanić led Maine (8-7) in scoring with 24 points, adding eight rebounds. Denzel Valentine, who returned to action after missing seven games, put up 16 points, four rebounds and five assists. Kamar Baldwin added 14 points and Two-Way big Mfiondu Kabengele posted 14 and 13 rebounds on 5-7 shooting. Two-Way guard JD Davison logged 11 points and six assists. Marial Shayok tallied nine points and Tony Snell put up eight points and five rebounds.
Two-Way forward Donovan Williams led all scorers with 29 points, grabbing six boards. Cat Barber finished with 23 points and four assists. Langston Galloway recorded 19 points and five rebounds. Brandon Williams scored 16 points and Giorgi Bezhanishvili turned in eight points and eight rebounds.
Valentine hit a floater and Šamanić buried a three to get the Celtics going and give themselves and early spark in their respective return to the Expo after both missed time with injury. At the first timeout, things were all tied up, 11-11 while both teams settled into the flow of the game. The two teams made 10 field goals a piece and combined for 12 turnovers in the first quarter alone as we headed into the second quarter tied at 25.
A 13-0 run to open the second put the Skyhawks in the driver's seat for the remainder of the evening. The Celtics went scoreless for over three and a half minutes to open the quarter before Šamanić ended the cold spell with a floater that made it 38-27. College Park poured it on as the half wound down, with Williams racking up 15 first-half points on 3-4 from long-range. After making just five field goals and being outscored 35-14 in the frame, the Celtics entered the locker room down 60-39.
Baldwin splashed home a corner three off an extra pass from Shayok to start the second half, igniting a 14-2 run at the outset of the third that built to 23-9 before College Park righted the ship. The Celtics' efficiency skyrocketed in the third after a poor first half shooting-wise, helping them claw back into the game. Maine got as close as seven points but a late push from the Skyhawks got them ahead by a dozen, 86-74 heading into the fourth.
Holding serve up double-digits through most of the fourth, the Skyhawks cruised to victory. Valentine had a strong quarter offensively, nailing a pair of threes and a floater to help the Celtics get within striking distance, but they couldn't build enough of a run to threaten the Skyhawks in crunch time. In the end, College Park collected a 114-96 victory, their fifth in the last seven games while Maine lost their fourth-straight and seventh of the last eight.
The Celtics and Skyhawks will complete a back-to-back set tomorrow evening. Following that game, Maine heads out on the road for a two-game series with Raptors 905 on Feb. 6 and 8 before returning home for a back-to-back with the Cleveland Charge next weekend.
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