The Maine Celtics are rolling after an 0-3 start to the season; the Celtics’ G-League affiliate posted a 129-119 win over the Delaware Blue Coats on Sunday afternoon to improve to 4-3 on the season.
Ron Harper — the G League’s leading scorer who is fresh off a 46-point outing — led Maine with 26 points on 11-22 shooting in the comeback victory.
But, it was backup guard Kameron Warrens who emerged as the x-factor on Sunday. Warrens, who is with the Maine Celtics for the second consecutive year, tallied
a career-high 22 points and hit 5 of 8 three-point attempts. He scored 9 points in the fourth quarter, including the dagger three-pointer with just over a minute to play to extend the team’s lead to 15.
Warrens, who played Division II basketball at the University of Mary, has now posted two 20+ point outings on the season after averaging just 4.1 points last season.
In addition to Warrens, Kendall Brown, who was on an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics at training camp, had one of his best games of the season, finishing with 18 points (8-11 FG) and 9 assists.
Aaron Scott posted 16 points — also setting a new career-high — and two-way player Max Shulga added 17 points.
Phil Pressey’s squad posted a franchise-record 43 assists on the afternoon and remains undefeated at the Portland Expo.
But Sunday’s win didn’t come easy; the Maine Celtics trailed by as many as 23 points, falling behind 58-35 early in the second quarter. They ultimately overcame 36 points (on 9 three-pointers) from Blue Coats guard Emoni Bates, and the absences of both Jalen Bridges and Hayden Gray, both of whom were out due to injury.
Maine is off until Friday, when they’ll face the Westchester Knicks for two games to continue the Tip-Off Tournament.
