Williams leads Maine to OT win in Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Amari Williams drove through the lane, spun off his defender and scored at the rim to beat the Sioux Falls Skyforce in overtime, 117-116 on Wednesday night. 

Williams led the way with his tenth double-double of the season, finishing with a game-high 26 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. Williams was the only Two-Way player available for either team on Wednesday night, and the big man scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half. Maine improves to 11-8 and Sioux Falls slips to 10-9 in the regular season. Wednesday's game was Maine's first trip to the Sanford Pentagon since March 3, 2017. It was the Celtics' first win at the Pentagon since December 28, 2012.

Hayden Gray recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 23 points, 10 assists, and three steals. Tosan Evbuomwan added 19, and Jalen Bridges and Hason Ward each scored 17. As a team, Maine shot just 41.6% (42-101) from the floor and 31.7% (13-41) from three. Maine scored 35 points off 26 Sioux Falls turnovers. 

Steve Settle led the Skyforce with a team-high 24 points on 7-11 shooting. Cam Carter provided 23 points off the bench, and Trevor Keels posted 21 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Sioux Falls shot 47.4% (46-97) from the floor, including 35.1% (13-37) from three. 

Three minutes into the first quarter, Hayden Gray dished an assist to Amari Williams put the Celtics in front 10-4. That would be Maine's largest lead of the first quarter as neither team could create any separation. Tosan Evbuomwan scored eight and Gray added seven in the quarter. The Skyforce scored 24 of their 27 first quarter points in the paint and led the Celtics 27-26. 

The Skyforce began the second quarter on an 8-2 run, and a layup by Cam Carter gave Sioux Falls a 35-28 lead, their largest of the first half at the 10:15 mark of the second quarter. With 8:05 remaining in the first half, Williams found Gray around the cup to pull Maine within one, 39-38. The Skyforce grew their lead back to seven, but again Maine battled back and Hason Ward scored in the paint to level the score at 51 with 1:06 to go. Dain Dainja would snag an offensive rebound and score on the putback in the waning seconds of the first half as Sioux Falls led Maine 55-51 at the break. Gray led Maine with 17 points and four assists as the Celtics shot 46.3% (19-41) from the floor, including 42.1% (8-19) from three. Sioux Falls shot 51% (25-49) from the floor, relying on their ability to score in the paint after shooting just 18.8% (3-16) from beyond the arc in the first half. 

Trevor Keels knocked down a floater plus the foul to give Sioux Falls an eight-point advantage with 7:40 to play in the third quarter. Eight was the largest lead of the night for Sioux Falls, but Maine's Pedro Bradshaw spurred a Celtics run midway through the third. Bradshaw knocked down all three of his shots from deep, including a triple with 1:59 left in the quarter to deliver Maine a 79-78 lead. Bradshaw tallied 11 points in the quarter, but Maine trailed 79-78 at the start of the fourth. 

Jalen Bridges extended Maine's lead to four early in the fourth on a made three with 9:11 to go in the game. With 7:23 to go, Williams drove the length of the court and dished to Bridges for his fifth triple of the night as Maine maintained their lead over the Skyforce, 94-90. Sioux Falls found an answer, and with 6:24 remaining, Carter drilled a three to put the Skyforce in front, 95-94. The Skyforce would add to their lead on back-to-back triples by Steve Settle and Carter to claim a 105-98 lead with 4:01 remaining. Trailing 107-100, Maine went on a 6-0 run to pull within one with 1:33 to go after a short floater by Hason Ward. With less than 30 seconds remaining and the Celtics trailing by two, Hayden Gray attempted a go-ahead three. The shot was off, but Williams was there for the follow to tie the game at 110 apiece with 20.6 seconds left on the clock. Both teams got a shot in the final ten seconds, but both were off the mark as the Skyforce and Celtics went into overtime. 

Playing to a target score overtime of 117, Williams scored first for the Celtics on another second chance opportunity. Sioux Falls scored the next four before Williams found Ward around the cup to tie the game at 114. Trailing 116-115, Williams called game. The lone Two-Way player in the game spun through the lane and scored to deliver a thrilling 117-116 win over the Skyforce. 

Maine battles the Skyforce again on Friday at 8 p.m.