The Delaware Blue Coats (1-1) closed out 2022 with a bang on Friday, Dec. 30, as they defeated the Long Island Nets 111-108 in overtime, capturing their first regular season victory of the season.
After squandering a 12-point lead in a game the team had led wire to wire, it seemed the Coats were destined to drop their third straight matchup until newcomer Louis King claimed the throne. King sent his team home happy with a pull-up three to surpass the overtime target score of 110, which sent a rather raucous crowd into a frenzy.
“It felt great,” King said. “It was a relief from all of the missed shots earlier in the beginning of the game… it just came down to me to hit the big shot.”
King was a difference-maker prior to the game-winner, dropping 15 points to go along with six rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 29 minutes.
This thrilling victory comes just two nights after a 39-point loss in a championship rematch against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, in which the Blue Coats shot just 3-29 from beyond the arc, missing 22 straight from long distance after the first quarter.
“[We had] two really great practices building up to this game,” Blue Coats’ guard Patrick McCaw said. “We were prepared to play a great Long Island team and we showed that tonight.”
McCaw, who started the previous game, came off the bench as the sixth man and poured in 14 points on 6-12 from the field while grabbing three rebounds and two steals. His benchmate, Charlie Brown Jr, also provided good minutes, tallying seven points and two steals while hauling in 10 rebounds as well.
“It’s very important… No team has five players that play the whole game and that’s it,” Blue Coats’ forward Julian Champagnie said, “Coach [Head Coach Coby Karl] does a great job rotating guys and we all really get playing time so when they come off and give big minutes like what they did today, it’s big for our team.”
Champagnie opened up the overtime scoring, hitting a three to put the Blue Coats up 106-103. Champagnie made five of the team’s 14 threes, shooting 5-8 from beyond the arc and tallying up 23 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season.
Although the Blue Coats continued to shoot the ball poorly, they were able to create space, find open lanes and keep the ball moving to find open shots. Champagnie would like to see more of that moving forward.
“I think it’s a big part of our team’s success,” Champagnie said. “I think when we move the ball and play together, things come a lot easier for us. I think moving forward that should be our thing… if it comes it comes.”
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