HOT SHOOTING CELTICS HAND BLUE COATS FIRST LOSS

WILMINGTON - The Maine Celtics (3-0) knocked off the Delaware Blue Coats (1-1) 142-116 Friday at the Chase Fieldhouse.

The Blue Coats had some extra reinforcements tonight, with Sixers’ first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. and third-year forward Justin Edwards joining Delaware on assignment from Philadelphia. The Coats also had two-way players Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert available for the first time this season.

The Celtics got going from three-point range early, connecting on 9-17 3FG (53%) in the first quarter. Maine led 40-26 after the first quarter. That lead grew in the second behind a 33-point frame for Maine. The Celtics led 73-51 at halftime.

The Blue Coats fought back in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 16 behind a 12-point quarter from Love. Delaware posted a very balanced offensive attack, with seven different Blue Coats scoring in double figures.

The Celtics kept the pressure on in the fourth quarter and pulled away for the 26-point victory. Chris Cenac Jr., the 27th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, was on assignment, and he dominated. The 19-year-old poured in a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double. Seven different Celtics made multiple threes in a barrage from the outside (21-48 3FG (44%)).

Philon Jr. led the Blue Coats with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the loss. He credited his mindset for the performance, saying, “I’ve been attacking each and every day like I’m playing 30 minutes, or if I’m not playing at all… if I can get up every day and get my work in, then I know I got better that day.”

Love finished with a game-high 22 points for Delaware despite a scoreless first half. Blue Coats Head Coach JP Clark was encouraged by the response he saw from the second-year guard saying “He kind of knocked his head right there in the first couple of possessions… It just took him a little bit of time, and then he started to look like the normal Caleb Love. Attacking the gaps, making shots, making plays.”

Maine led by as many as 33 points and never trailed in the game. The Blue Coats and Celtics match back up tomorrow night at Chase Fieldhouse, with tipoff at 6PM.

ABOUT THE NBA G LEAGUE:

The NBA’s official minor league, the NBA G League prepares players, coaches, officials, training and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory.  Featuring 31 teams, 30 with direct affiliations to NBA franchises for 2024-25, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.  More than half of all players on end-of-season 2023-24 NBA rosters boasted NBA G League experience.  In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA Cares programs.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE BLUE COATS:

The Delaware Blue Coats are the official NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Blue Coats won the 2022-23 NBA G League Championship and have made four trips to the postseason in franchise history. The team won the 2021 Winter Showcase, which makes Delaware the only organization to win both a regular season title and a mid-season cup. For ticket information, visit WWW.BLUECOATS.TEAM. The Delaware Blue Coats organization is a Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment property.