Celtics ready for 'new challenge' in second matchup with Skyhawks

PORTLAND, Maine. - The Maine Celtics will look to match the franchise's longest winning streak against the College Park Skyhawks on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Maine soared to their seventh consecutive win, 117-95 over the Skyhawks on Saturday at the Portland Expo. With all three, Two-Way players available, the Celtics showcased all of their fire power. Ron Harper Jr. went 8-12 from beyond the arc, knocking down 8 of Maine’s 20 made threes in his 32-point afternoon. Harper Jr. has scored 28 points or more in five games this season.

"With the Two-Ways now, that only gives us more fire power, and as you guys see, Ron Harper has been amazing," Celtics Head Coach Phil Pressey said. "What he's doing defensively, he had five assists, a good player, good player."

Amari Williams notched a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds to go with a season-high six assists. Max Shulga added 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.

On Sunday, Maine has a chance to win eight consecutive games for the third time in franchise history. The Celtics won eight in a row last season during the Regular Season, and previously during the 2014-15 season when the Maine Red Claws set the record for longest winning streak in what was one of the most successful seasons in franchise history. That Red Claws team began their campaign by winning 15 of their first 18 games to start the season. The eight game winning streak was right in the middle of that stretch.

"You got to do it again; that's the beautiful thing about it. At midnight, it's a new day. It's a challenge," Pressey said after Saturday's win. "They'll be a little more motivated than us; it's human nature of course. You won, so they'll be hungrier, but being able to understand that and come in motivated, guys will understand that. Tomorrow is a new challenge, today is gone." 

College Park was without Two-Way players Jacob Toppin and Caleb Houstan on Saturday. M.J. Walker Jr. paced College Park with 20 points in a game-high 40 minutes. Two-Way player Eli Ndiaye posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Javan Johnson poured in 19 points to go along with 8 rebounds, while Malik Williams scored 11 points, all in the first half. On Sunday, College Park is expected to have Houstan in the lineup. An NBA veteran who has played 176 NBA games, Houstan is averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in the G League this season.

For the third straight game, Maine held their opponent to under 40% shooting from the floor and 100 points. That defense helped Maine still win in dominant fashion despite shooting just 44.6% from the field. It's the latest example during this winning streak of the Celtics playing to their identity, whether shots are falling or not.

"It doesn't matter if we win or if we lose, we judge ourselves by our standard," Pressey explained." There will be games where we win, and we don't play to our standard. There will be games we lost, but we did play to our standard and maybe we didn't make shots, or the ball didn't bounce our way. Playing our standard allows me to fill in the feeling of winning or losing games. We play to the standard, not the scoreboard." 

NBA veteran guard Keon Johnson made his Maine Celtics debut on Saturday with 16 points on 5-11 shooting, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Johnson is known for his stifling defense after leading the Brooklyn Nets in steals last season (82). That defensive tenacity helped him fit right in with the Maine Celtics in his first game in the green and white.

"From the moment I check in, I play the hardest I can and take advantage of the moment I have and just go all out and play hard," Johnson explained. "I can only control so much, so if anything just compete at a high level and do what I do best."

The Maine Celtics will run it back against College Park at 1 p.m. at the Portland Expo on Sunday. The game will stream live here and will broadcast on tape-delay on NBC Sports Boston at 9 p.m. Sunday. Fans can also listen on the radio at 96.3 The Big Jab.