Blue Coats Snap Celtics' 7-Game Streak

blue coats snap celtics’ 7-game streak

PORTLAND, ME – Luka Šamanić tallied a career-high 45 points, but the Delaware Blue Coats torched the nets en route to a 149-137 victory, ending the Maine Celtics’ undefeated start to the season. 

Luka Šamanić led Maine (7-1) with a career-high 45 points, the most points scored by a Celtic this season. Two-Way big Mfiondu Kabengele posted 19 points and seven rebounds, with fellow Two-Way player JD Davison adding seven points, six rebounds and 11 assists. Marial Shayok totaled 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Kamar Baldwin notched 16 points, six rebounds and 12 assists and Scottie Lindsey had 16 and five rebounds. Marvin Smith Jr. scored 13 points on 3-4 from downtown. 

Mac McClung and Philadelphia 76ers assignee Jaden Springer each scored 28 points to lead Delaware (4-3), with McClung adding four boards and seven assists. Two-Way wing Julian Champagnie logged 21 points and four boards. Louis King turned in 15 points and 11 assists and Charlie Brown Jr. scored 15. Skylar Mays added 14 and Michael Foster Jr. registered 12 and eight rebounds. 

McClung’s floater got the Blue Coats off and running, with Baldwin attacking and laying it in with his right to put the Celtics on the board. Delaware started the night on a 12-7 run behind a pair of threes from Champagnie, the second triggering a timeout from Celtics head coach Alex Barlow. A three from Baldwin and dunk from Šamanić got Maine within one, 25-24 as Šamanić quickly racked up 13 points on 6-9 shooting in the quarter. A 7-2 run from Delaware in the final 33 seconds gave them a 42-37 lead after an up-tempo first quarter. 

McClung and Springer’s burst and first-step quickness proved difficult to guard all night and they took advantage of some avoidable turnovers from Maine, helping the Blue Coats race out to a double-digit lead by the midpoint of the second. Baldwin’s hanging layup cut the Celtics deficit to 10 points, 66-56, but Delaware answered right back. By halftime, the Celtics had let go of the rope a bit and fallen behind, 82-65, tying a Maine franchise record for points allowed in the first half. 

Delaware picked up right where they left off as the second half began, racing out to a 17-point stiff arm early in the third before Maine woke up. Šamanić was dynamic offensively, driving, dishing and spacing the floor with potency as the Celtics pulled back within 11, 103-92. Led by Šamanić, Maine started to put together a furious comeback that lasted through the fourth quarter. After three, the Blue Coats held a 111-106 advantage. 

Behind a 38-18 run over about 10 minutes of play, the Celtics took a 120-118 lead as the fourth got going, igniting the Expo crowd. The two squads traded leads in the middle of the fourth, but a 7-0 run in crunch time separated Delaware once and for all.  Šamanić eclipsed the 40-point mark on a breakaway dunk, but when Kabengele fouled out with 2:48 remaining, it was all but over for Maine. The Blue Coats were scorching the nets all night long, shooting 60.8 percent from the floor and 43.3 percent from deep on the night as they collected a 149-137 victory, ending Maine’s undefeated start to the season. 

The Celtics will round out a two-game set with the Blue Coats on Jan. 14 before hosting the Lakeland Magic on Jan. 21 and 22 for a back-to-back.