Maine Celtics glide past Gold 122-111

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - JD Davison scored 34 points as the Maine Celtics earned another key road victory, 122-111 over the Grand Rapids Gold.

Maine (16-10) is now 3-1 during their nine-game road stretch and has won 10 of its last 11 games. The Celtics are currently third in the Eastern Conference standings and 0.5 game back of first place after Tuesday's win. Grand Rapids falls to 11-14 in the Regular Season.

Davison finished the game with 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists on 13-23 (57%) shooting from the floor. Fellow Two-Way player Drew Peterson packed the stat sheet with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. Peterson knocked down 50% (4-8) of his shots from deep against the Gold. Jay Scrubb poured in 22 points and 8 rebounds off the bench and Tristan Enaruna added 12 points and 6 rebounds for Maine. As a team, Maine finished the game shooting 52.2% (47-90) from the floor and 31.4% (11-35) from deep.

PJ Hall led the Grand Rapids Gold with a 26 point, 14 rebound double-double effort. Trey Alexander finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists despite not playing for much of the fourth quarter. As a team, the Gold shot just 35.8% (34-95) from the floor, including 25% (10-40) from beyond the arc.

Maine's bench outscored Grand Rapids 41-25 and the Celtics outscored the Gold in the Paint, 50-38.

Maine and Grand Rapids exchanged blows throughout the first quarter. An emphatic slam by Tristan Enaruna pulled Maine within two at the 7:32 mark of the first quarter. Grand Rapids found their energy in the morning matchup, and went on a 7-0 run to take a 20-11 lead after five consecutive points by Trey Alexander. Maine answered with a 13-5 run as Jordan Schakel buried his second three-pointer of the first quarter to pull Maine within one, 25-24. Drew Peterson had eight points in the first quarter to lead the Celtics as Maine and Grand Rapids were all tied up at 33 through one.

The Celtics broke the gridlock with an 11-0 run early in the second quarter. Jay Scrubb accounted for five of those points as Maine claimed a 44-37 lead. Maine was able to create easy scoring opportunities in the open court with 10 points in transition to build their lead to as many as 12. After Grand Rapids cut into the Maine lead, the first half concluded with Davison finding Enaruna on the alley-oop to give Maine a 63-55 halftime lead. Davison led Maine with 15 points and four assists in the first half as the Celtics shot 48% from the field. Jay Scrubb added 11 and Peterson scored 10 through the first two quarters. Grand Rapids guard Trey Alexander led all scorers with 16 first half points as the Gold shot just 35.4% from the floor.

Davison and the Celtics picked up where they left off to start the second half. Davison found big man James Banks III for an emphatic slam as Maine grew their lead back to 11. Gabe McGlothan connected on a three to pull Grand Rapids back within six with 5:26 remaining in the third quarter. Maine answered in a big way with an 11-2 run to claim their largest lead of the game, 85-71 with 2:43 remaining. Davison was red-hot in the third quarter, racking up 15 points and three assists in the frame to lead Maine to a 92-81 advantage to start the fourth quarter.

Peterson took over the scoring duties to start the fourth quarter. The Celtics Two-Way player hit two triples in the first five minutes, including a three to put Maine up 105-91 with 7:50 to play. Soon after, Peterson threw it ahead for the assist to Hason Ward, who delivered Maine their largest lead of the game, 109-91. Maine never trailed in the second half as they earn another key victory on the road, 122-11. The Gold would only pull within as close as seven points to the Celtics, who led by as many as 20 in the second half.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: JD Davison was the Player of the Game after leading Maine with 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Davison was 13-23 (57%) shooting from the floor.

THE ROAD AHEAD: Maine's long road trip will continue when the team travels to Cleveland for two games against the Cleveland Charge. Maine will first play on Friday night at 7 p.m. and again on Saturday night at the same time.