LOVE IT! TWO-WAY GUARD DROPS 35 TO LEAD COATS WIN

WILMINGTON - The Delaware Blue Coats (2-1) rode a 43-point fourth quarter to a 130-119 win, handing the Maine Celtics (3-1) their first loss of the season.

Caleb Love led the Blue Coats with a game-high 35 points in the victory. The second-year guard poured in 20 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter. Dillon Jones notched his first triple-double as a Blue Coat with 15 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds.

Milos Uzan was the offensive engine for Maine, adding 22 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the loss. Dillon Mitchell put together a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double.

The Celtics were fueled by a strong second quarter to take a 63-57 lead into halftime. Maine’s defense held Delaware to 22 points in the quarter.

Maine led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter before Delaware flipped the script. The Blue Coats rattled off a 19-4 run, fueled by Love’s heroics, and pulled away for the 11-point victory.

Blue Coats Head Coach JP Clark was happy to see the ball in Love’s hands during the fourth quarter: “Caleb’s a closer. He’s a big-time scorer, and it’s great to see him be efficient, play within the team, and find his spots in the offense, especially in the fourth.”

Love, in his first season on a two-way contract with the organization, was confident in his abilities down the stretch: “We try to get the best shot possible… I hit a couple in a row, and then once you’re in that zone, it’s kind of like there’s no going back. I just got hot in the fourth and kept it going.”

The Blue Coats, Celtics, and Long Island Nets are the only three teams in the East region with just one loss. The winner of each region, along with the next four best winning percentages, will advance to compete for the Championship at the NBA G League Winter Showcase.

The Blue Coats continue Tip-Off Tournament play on Monday, 11/16, when they travel to Long Island to face off against the Nets.

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.

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