After dropping a close contest to the Westchester Knicks (4-2) on Thursday, the Delaware Blue Coats (2-5) bounced back with a 131-125 win over the Knicks on Sunday, Nov. 24 at Chase Fieldhouse.

The first three-quarters of the game was a breeze for Delaware, who seemingly got any open look they wanted, shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 48.5 percent from three through the first three periods.

Lester Quinones led the way early, with seven of the team’s first 12 points while his backcourt mate Jeff Dowtin Jr. racked up four assists in the opening frame. The duo killed the Knicks all day long, as Quinones finished with a team-high 29 points and five assists, while Dowtin poured in 27 and six dimes. 

“Their experience is huge,” head coach Mike Longabardi said. “Judah [Mintz] is still learning, Justin [Edwards] is still learning. To have those guys out there with experience, especially against their team who has TJ Warren, who played a bunch in the league, and Donovan Williams and [Chuma] Okeke, that’s big for us.”

While the third quarter has plagued the team so far this year, getting outscored by a combined 30 points in their first six games, it was the difference between a win and a loss on Sunday. They doubled their three-point makes (8) and attempts (17), in the quarter alone, shooting 47 percent on such shots.

“Our third quarter was really good,” Longabardi said. “That’s definitely a positive for us because that is where we’ve struggled in our previous losses.”

However, things spiraled out of control for the Blue Coats in the fourth quarter. After leading by 22 with 8:24 to go, Delaware’s offense went cold and things got ugly, fast. The Blue Coats went 2:49 without scoring a point, and 3:52 without a field-goal make and saw their lead falter as a result.

“They upped the pressure on us,” Isaiah Mobley said. “We were trying to manage the lead but we probably should have stayed a little more aggressive, which let them come back. We’ll learn from it and grow from it.”

The Coats’ inability to keep their foot on the gas pedal gave the Knicks, who were in the midst of a 21-4 run, newfound life, as the lead was trimmed to just five with 3:34 to go. Now with momentum on Westchester’s side, they continued to full-court press Delaware, who up until that point, couldn’t beat it. 

The Blue Coats refound their focus though. After a tough two from Dowtin, the team was able to exploit the full-court press, getting Adem Bona and company open looks at the net. He and Dowtin combined for eight points in the final two minutes to keep the Coats afloat and help them walk away with the win. 

“[We] just stayed together and trusted one another,” Mobley said. “In moments like that, if you let up on the gas, a good enough team like the Knicks can catch up to you, like they did, and have you playing a little bit different but if we stay on the gas, I don’t think that happens.”

Now with the first month of the season wrapping up, Mobley is hoping that the Coats can copy some of his brother’s success.

“Hopefully I’ll steal some magic from my brother and bring it here to the Blue Coats,” Mobley said.

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