After a short week due to Thanksgiving, the Delaware Blue Coats took on four games in seven days. The Blue Coats made the most of it, as they would rattle off four straight en route to a total five-game win streak.
Throughout the week, it was nice to see plenty of the Sixers getting in on the G-League hype. Josh Richardson and Matisse Thybulle stopped down in Delaware to check out their affiliates.
Game 1- Lakewood Magic
Marial Shayok made his G-league return after suffering from a right quad injury and also sitting on the Sixers’ bench for a game. The G-league star picked up right where he left off, picking up 24 points and seven rebounds.
Led by five players in double figures, the Coats cruised past the Magic. After starting the game with a 16-0 lead, the Coats kept their foot on the gas en route to a 109-83 victory.
Game 2- Raptors 905
Delaware was back in Wilmington for this one, where they continued their dominance. As a team, the Blue Coats roster is deeply well rounded, as six players posted double-figure points for the fourth time this season already. Norvel Pelle, in between games for the Sixers, notched his third double-double in five games for the Coats.
Delaware led 54-49 at halftime and is now a perfect 5-0 overall when leading at the break. With the 115-106 win, the streak moved to 3 straight wins.
Game 3- Capital City Go-Go
Now, here is where things started to get interesting. As their NBA affiliate couldn’t take down Capital City’s, Delaware made sure to get the job done. In a game with 12 lead changes and four ties, Delaware edged this one out 110-109 on a game-winner.
Rebounds were the tale of this game. Delaware grabbed 59 total rebounds for a plus-22 margin on the glass. It marked the second time this season that the team has recorded 59 rebounds. Delaware has corralled 55 rebounds or more in six of the team’s 11 games to this point.
After leading 61-56 at the half, the Blue Coats were able to close this one out in dramatic fashion. They blew a 14 point led in the latter half, but Jonah Bolden was not letting this one slip away. Instead of explaining it, let the video below serve as the explanation it deserves:
All in all, Blue Coats moved to 6-0 when leading at halftime. Their 110-109 walk-off victory brings them to their fourth straight, and 7-4 on the season.
Game 4- Maine Red Claws
In a quick summary of the game, let’s just call it the Xavier Munford break out game.
Accompanied by Marial Shayok’s 26 points, Munford put up a G-league single-game season-high 44 points. He also holds the most assists in a single G-league game, with 18 back on November 15th.
The best part about Munford’s breakout stems from his lack of production in the first half. At the break, he only had 13 points, but then went off for 31 in the second. Maine’s Bryce Brown put up 43 of his own in this one, but Munford was determined to conquer that.
Maine led by as many as nine in the game, however, Munford had all the answers. After draining a three in the third, then following up with a pair of free-throws, he knotted the game up at 51. From there, it became a back and forth affair.
Blue Coats moved to 8-4 on the season and sit on a five-game win streak. They are tied for second in the Eastern Conference with the Canton Charge.
Up Next
The Blue Coats get a week off, then head to Greensboro to take on the Swarm. After that, they get off until after the holiday, where they come home to face off the College Park Skyhawks on December 27th. Following that, Delaware ends the new year by traveling up to Maine on New Year’s Eve for an afternoon matchup with the Red Claws.
Photo Credit: Alex Mcintyre
