G League Maine Celtics

Claws Erase 15-Point Deficit for 7th Straight Win

Published on January 16, 2020 under NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release


Portland, ME - The Maine Red Claws, presented by Unum, overcame a 15-point deficit and poor shooting performance to take down a top team in the NBA G League, a 107-103 win over Salt Lake City at the Portland Expo. The Red Claws have now won 7 straight games, one win shy of the franchise record.

Maine (17-6) won despite shooting just 6-30 from three-point range. Yante Maten led a balanced attack with 27 points and 14 rebounds, his 9th double-double of the season. Two-Way Player and reigning G League Player of the Week Tremont Waters added 17 points, while fellow Two-Way Player Tacko Fall added a 14 point-10 rebound double-double, his 9th of the season. Carsen Edwards, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, added 14 points off the bench, while Justin Bibbs added 12, and Kaiser Gates recorded his 5th double-double with 11 points and 14 boards.

Salt Lake City (17-6) was led by Jarrell Brantley with 28 points.

Gates opened the game with an athletic dunk, and the two teams traded buckets back and forth. Maten's three-point play put Maine up 9-8. Mike Scott buried a three to cap a 7-0 run and give the Stars a 6 point advantage at the first timeout. Maten continued to clean up the garbage, getting the Claws back in the game. Edwards scored, and Bibbs converted a steal in to a lay-up, making it a 22-21 game. The Red Claws went 0-8 from three-point range in the 1st quarter, while the Stars went 5-10 from downtown, and Salt Lake City led 27-25 after 1.

SLC opened the 2nd with 5 quick points. Tacko stopped the run with a huge dunk. The Stars proceeded to go on a 23-13 run, with Trevon Bluiett and Jarrell Brantley leading the charge. The Red Claws closed the quarter on a mini run, with Edwards' reverse lay-up getting the crowd back into the game, but Brantley's dunk helped make it 57-45 Salt Lake at halftime. Maten led Maine with 13 points at the break, but the Claws shot just a meager 2-16 from downtown in the first half. Brantley led all scorers with 14 points.

In the 3rd, Brown hit a three, but SLC answered with five quick points to take a 66-51 lead. Maten continued his strong play on both ends, grabbing a rebound and going coast-to-coast to cut the deficit to 9. Tacko's three-point play got it down to 5 points at 70-65. Another Tacko bucket got it to 70-67. Malik Benlevi stopped the run for the Stars with a three. Isaac Haas converted a three-point play late in the period, and Maine trailed 77-71 after 3.

Maten led another Red Claws charge in the 4th. His drive and score cut the game to 6 points. Waters rattled in a three to make it a 3 point game. Waters fed Tacko for an alley-oop to make it a one point game at 83-82. Waters scored to give Maine a 84-83 lead. The Stars got the lead right back, Benlevi knocked in a three to make it 91-84 Salt Lake. Maten ended the 8-0 run with a dunk on a feed from Edwards. Bibbs tied the game with a big three. Waters gave Maine the lead, and Edwards' jumper extended to 99-96. Maten's big basket put the game away, as Maine took over down the stretch.

The Red Claws wound up shooting 49.4% (44-89) from the field, and just 20% (6-30) from three-point range, while going 9-12 from the free throw line. Salt Lake City shot 48.3% (43-89) from the floor, 39.4% (13-33) from downtown, and 3-6 from the charity stripe.

The Red Claws hit the road and return to action tomorrow night at Long Island. Maine's next home game is Jan. 31.

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