G League Maine Celtics

Maine Celtics Hold on for Sweep of Vipers

Published on December 31, 2022 under NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release


PORTLAND, ME - The Maine Celtics shot 57 percent from the field, 48.6 percent from beyond the arc and, for the ninth time in franchise history, a clean 100 percent from the line as they held on to defeat the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, 136-132.

Marial Shayok led Maine (3-0) with 31 points, four rebounds and three assists on 9-10 shooting from the field with five made three-pointers. Luka Šamanić posted 22 points and seven rebounds and Two-Way big Mfiondu Kabengele put up 20 points and 14 boards. Denzel Valentine added 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Two-Way rookie JD Davison notched 11 points and six assists. Scottie Lindsey scored 14 points. Kamar Baldwin tallied nine points, six assists and four boards.

Rio Grande Valley (1-2) Two-Way player Trevor Hudgins led all scorers with 36 points, four rebounds and six assists and fellow Two-Way player Darius Days registered 30 points and eight rebounds. Cassius Stanley logged 20 points and five rebounds. Mustapha Heron turned in 18 points and three rebounds off the bench and Jalen Lecque totaled 17 points, six boards and three dimes.

Lecque sank a wide-open triple at the top of the key to get the Vipers off and running, and Shayok nailed a pair of 1-for-2 free throws to get the Celtics on the board. Shayok dumped an entry pass into Šamanić, who spun for an easy dunk to give Maine their first lead, 10-9. Shayok hit his third free throw off a technical foul, and he used the rhythm he found at the line to get out to 20 points on a perfect 5-5 from the field with four threes made by halftime. The Vipers broke out a full-court press late in the first, but Maine didn't force the issue and they soon retreated. Two-Way guards Hudgins and Davison went at it as the first rounded to a close with the Vipers ahead, 40-31 with the help of a 14-4 run.

A strong start from Lindsey, who finished a tough floater and threw down a huge dunk along the baseline to help the Celtics get back within one possession, 42-39. Maine ripped off a 17-5 run with Shayok and Davison leading the way while RGV struggled to produce much offense outside of Hudgins drive-and-kicks. Shayok's fourth three of the half gave the Celtics a 63-57 lead; the Vipers would chip away a bit before the half ended, but Maine still led, 74-69 after two, shooting 63.2 percent from the floor as a team.

The third quarter fully embodied what was a back-and-forth contest for most of the night, as the two sides trades leads, clutch shots and stout defensive possessions. Davis and Lindsey each canned a deep three to swing the momentum towards the Celtics, and a strong close to the third had them ahead, 109-100 heading into the final frame.

Heron and Stanley joined Days and Hudgins in powering the RGV offense in the second half, though Maine was able to hold a two-possession lead consistently. The Vipers cut into the deficit with a 9-2 run that made it a one-point game, 123-122 thanks to a pull-up trey and a 1-for-2 from Hudgins in short order. Valentine was quiet for most of the night, but he woke up with a vengeance in crunch time, hitting a pair of clutch threes and dishing to Šamanić for a three of his own, giving Maine a 134-130 lead. Shayok's lay-in made it a four-point game with under 30 seconds to go, and the Celtics were able to force a miss, avoid fouls from the Vipers and run out the clock for a thrilling 136-132 victory.

The Maine Celtics will be back in action at the Expo on Jan. 5 and 6 when they host the Motor City Cruise.

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