Maine Celtics Suffer Setback in Delaware
November 30, 2024 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
WILMINGTON, Dela. - The Maine Celtics couldn't overcome a double-digit deficit in the second half as they fell on the road, 118-110 to the Delaware Blue Coats.
Maine (4-4) couldn't slow down the hot-shooting Blue Coats (3-6), who shot 52.8% from the field for the game. Delaware also connected on 21 of 23 trips to the free throw line compared to just 7 of 9 for the Celtics.
JD Davison led Maine with 34 points, eight assists, and five rebounds on 13-28 shooting. Davison also finished with one steal, tying Maine's decade-old franchise record for career steals of 108 set by Chris Wright.
Maine's Tristan Enaruna provided a boost off the bench with 21 points and seven rebounds. Jordan Schakel finished with a season-high 9 points, connecting on 5-15 shots from beyond the arc.
Jeff Dowtin Jr. led the Blue Coats with 30 points on 11-20 shooting from the field. Darius Bazley provided support with an efficient 24 points on 8-10 shooting. Six Delaware players finished with double-digit scoring.
On Saturday night, Maine was without Two-Way Player Drew Peterson and assignment player Baylor Scheierman, who were both with Boston. Jay Scrubb missed his second consecutive game due to injury. The Celtics did get Ron Harper Jr. back from injury for Saturday's game after he missed Wednesday's game in Ontario.
While Peterson wasn't there to build on his career-best performance on Wednesday, Donald Carey Jr. picked up right where he left off in the first quarter. Carey Jr. scored a career-high 17 points in the win over Raptors 905, and on Saturday night the second-year guard scored eight first quarter points for Maine. Carey Jr. would score 15 on Saturday night. Schakel took advantage of his second straight start with 11 first quarter points, connecting on 3-5 shots from deep. The Celtics owned a three-point lead to start the second after London Johnson found Enaruna on a corner triple as time expired to make it 30-27.
Delaware dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Celtics 38-25 led by the duo of Bazley and Dowtin Jr., who combined for 27 first-half points. With seven minutes to play in the quarter, Dowtin Jr. finished through the contact to tie the game at 47. A minute later, Jared Brownridge connected on a 3-pointer to give the Blue Coats their first lead of the second quarter. The Blue Coats would build that lead up to 11, and Bazley's putback with 3.1 seconds to play delivered Delaware a 65-54 lead over the Celtics into halftime. Delaware shot nearly 54% from the field through two quarters while Enaruna was the lone bright spot for Maine, scoring nine points in the quarter.
The Blue Coats lead grew to 13 in the third, as Bazley, Bagley, and Dowtin Jr. each scored eight points in the quarter. Davison asserted himself more in the game with 10 points in the third as Maine pulled within five of the Blue Coats. But every time the Celtics were within striking distance, a timely bucket by Dowtin Jr. would keep them at bay as the Coats continued to shoot over 50% from the field and led the Celtics 91-82 to begin the fourth quarter.
Davison and Dowtin Jr. put on a show to start the fourth. Possession after possession, it was the Two-Way Players taking and often converting the shot for their team as Davison scored 14 in the quarter. Trailing by double digits for much of the second half, Maine went on a 12-3 run to pull within five with 4:12 to play. Still down five, Enaruna was fouled while attacking the basket, and would make both free throws to bring Maine within three with 1:00 remaining. On the next defensive possession, Maine forced a turnover, but came up empty with two turnovers of their own down the stretch as the Blue Coats earned a 118-110 win over the Celtics.
PLAYER OF THE GAME : JD Davison was the Player of the Game after scoring 34 points, distributing eight assists, and grabbing five rebounds. Davison also recorded one steal, tying the franchise record for career steals with 108.
THE ROAD AHEAD : The NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament continues as Maine will travel south for two games in College Park, Georgia against the Skyhawks. The first meeting is on Monday, Dec 2 at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on NBAGLeague.com.
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