Davison's Heroics Down the Stretch Carry Maine

PORTLAND, ME – The Maine Celtics held an opponent under 90 points for the first time this season and used a 32-15 advantage in the fourth quarter to claim victory over the College Park Skyhawks, 97-89. 

DJ Steward led Maine (8-5) with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Two-Way guard JD Davison finished with 17 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists while James Banks III turned in 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Tony Snell chipped in 12 points and 4 rebounds. Boston assignee Jordan Walsh added 11 points and 6 rebounds and Two-Way guard Drew Peterson had 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in his Celtics debut. 

Chris Silva tallied 24 points and 8 rebounds to lead College Park (8-5). Two-Way forward Miles Norris totaled 16 points and 5 rebounds and Brandon Randolph scored 14 points. Jarkel Joiner recorded 13 points and 6 assists and Tyson Etienne logged 10 points and 4 rebounds. 

After a scoreless two-and-a-half minutes to open the game, Steward broke the ice with an above-the-break triple. He’d sink two more early on as he scored nine of Maine’s first 15 points, while Silva tallied 15 of College Park’s first 17 points. A slow, methodical game out of the gates stayed that way all night long as the Celtics and Skyhawks battled to keep each other out of the paint. College Park took a brief lead late in the quarter, but Walsh and Banks got it back for Maine, which led 24-21 after one. 

College Park again went scoreless for over two minutes as the second began, though they turned around and held Maine scoreless for the next two minutes. Peterson canned a corner three to put Maine up nine, making four of his first six shots and recording 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in the first half despite signing with Boston and arriving in Maine less than 24 hours before tip. College Park’s physicality kept them around, but Maine scored just enough to keep them at arm’s length; Steward’s 1-for-2 with less than a second left made it 55-50 in favor of the Celtics at halftime. 

An evenly matched game to open the third quarter quickly devolved into a slugfest. The Celtics maintained a two-possession lead early, but an 11-2 run for College Park gave them the lead. Maine’s offense slowed to a halt in the third as they struggled to pressure the rim, leading to a lot of isolation offense and forced shots. College Park outscored the Celtics 24-10 and held Maine scoreless for over four minutes to close out the third, handing the Skyhawks a 74-65 lead heading into the final frame. 

Davison had an uncharacteristically poor shooting night until he came alive in the fourth quarter. Battling through a stomach bug, the reigning G League Player of the Week sank four fourth-quarter threes and helped Maine regain the momentum with a 10-0 run. Snell hit a clutch 1-for-3 free throw and Davison made two of his threes in succession as the Celtics charged back in front, this time for good. Trailing 89-88 with 3:02 to go, Maine scored nine unanswered points to finish off the game and pick up a crucial win. 

The Celtics and Skyhawks wrap up a back-to-back set in Portland tomorrow at 7:00 PM, the final contest before the G League Winter Showcase commences in Orlando from Dec. 19-22.