Mad Ants Fall to Celtics in Regular Season Opener
Published on December 27, 2022 under NBA G League (G League)
Indiana Mad Ants News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The NBA G League regular season opened on Tuesday afternoon in Indianapolis as the Fort Wayne Mad Ants hosted the Maine Celtics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers.
Maine came away with the opening day win, 126-113. The two highest volume three point making teams of the Showcase season combined for 33 triples made on Tuesday.
Maine came out shooting well in the first quarter to establish a quick lead. Gabe York completed back-to-back three pointers from he and Justin Anderson at the 5:30 mark of the first quarter to help the Mad Ants break back even at 16 all. This time, the Celtics went inside to extend their lead, going up 28-18 with 2:30 to play on a Luka Samanic basket. Maine led after one, 30-27.
The second quarter led to more back and forth moments with the quarter containing two lead changes and two ties. Maine would lead by as many as 11 points on multiple occasions, extending their lead on the hands of Kamar Baldwin, who had nine in the quarter. Fort Wayne fought back, getting it to 54-49 with just under three minutes to play on a Trevelin Queen three pointer. At the half, Maine held a 66-55 lead over Fort Wayne.
Maine extended their lead to start the third quarter as well, getting out in transition including a Samanic basket with 9:30 to play in the third and a Marial Shayok follow up bucket pushed the lead to 14. With eight minutes to play, a Denzel Valentine three gave Maine a 79-60 lead, their largest of the game to that point. Fort Wayne rallied with nine straight in two minutes, culminating on a York breakaway layup with 3:23 to play. After three, Maine had pushed ahead to a 100-84 lead after leading by as many as 26 points.
Fort Wayne closed it to 100-90 on a Jermaine Samuels Jr. three pointer, but Mfiondu Kabengele continued to answer back with a three pointer and a putback dunk. Maine capitalized on Fort Wayne shooting woes to build their lead back up to 17 with 5:36 to play on a Samanic three pointer. David Stockton would make a couple of baskets later to get Fort Wayne within 11 again, but Maine held on down the stretch.
Fort Wayne was led by York's 27 points, 22 from Queen and 21 from Samuels while Anderson added a 10 point/10 assist double double. Kabengele led the Celtics with 30 points and 12 rebounds. He led all five Maine starters in double figures scoring as Samanic scored 24 and was followed by Baldwin (20), Shayok (19) and Valentine (14).
The Mad Ants (0-1) return to action Thursday with another 12:30 afternoon tip at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, this time against divisional foe, the Windy City Bulls.
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