Heading into Friday night’s clash between the Birmingham Squadron and Maine Celtics, the New Orleans Pelicans affiliate had only one season sweep of a two-game set against the same opponent. That came in December when T.J. Saint’s took two on the road against the Osceola Magic.
Now they have a pair on their 2023-24 resume – and the first at home.
Maine’s JD Davison – a 2022 second round draft pick out of Alabama – missed the second of two free throw attempts with 1.2 seconds left and Birmingham hung on for a 99-98 win in front of 2,233 fans at Legacy Arena.
A hotly contested fourth quarter was ultimately settled at the charity stripe as Squadron two-way player Dereon Seabron hit the first of two freebies with 8.5 seconds left to make the score 99-97.
“In the entire G League season, including the Showcase Cup, I believe we’re now 12-4 in close games,” Saint said. “Games like this make us better.”
The big story, however, involved Birmingham’s new big man – Karlo Matkovic. Just two games into his G League career, Matkovic recorded his first double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
“He’s really good,” Saint said. “And he’s going to be – over time – a very good NBA player. He’s been playing pro for a while (six seasons and three different teams in Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia) and we need a five (center) because we lost two in twelve days when Trey (Jemison) got called up and Ike (Anigbogu) got hurt. He fits in with exactly what we need.”
Matkovic was all smiles after the game. In two nights, he’s racked up 40 points and pulled down 19 boards.
“When I transferred from Europe to here, I expected there would be an adjustment,” said Matkovic, who played for KK Cedevita Olimpija of the Adriatic Basketball Association last season. “But the guys have really talked to me a lot and helped me out, and think that’s what’s really got me going.
“It’s an adjustment from Europe to here with the three-second lane violations and faster game play, and also knowing where to be on the court. There’s a lot of little stuff.”
All five starters for the Squadron (10-12) finished in double figures. Aside from Matkovic, E.J. Liddell scored 16 points, Malcolm Hill and Seabron each netted 14, and Jalen Crutcher accounted for 12 points.
Landers Nolley II came off the bench to score 11.
Birmingham is now two and half games out of the final playoff position with 12 games to go.
The Boston Celtics developmental team (11-11) was paced by Davison’s 19 points. Other Maine players to hit twin figures were Joe Wieskamp (15), Drew Peterson (13), Brandon Slater (13), DJ Steward (12) and Neemias Queta (12), who also had 12 rebounds for the double-double.
Birmingham got the upper hand early, leading by as many as 10 points in the first quarter. But Maine made a push late in the frame and the Squadron’s lead was down to five – 28-23 – when the horn sounded.
The Celtics managed to tie the score at 34-34 at the second period’s 7:49 mark, but the hosts never allowed them to take the lead. A surge in the final two minutes of the period helped Birmingham enter the locker room on top, 55-48.
The Squadron looked to blow this one open in the third, going up 63-50 9:29 into the quarter and grabbing all the momentum.
But Maine kept chipping away, slicing the deficit to one on a pair of occasions.
Heading into the fourth, Birmingham was clinging to a 74-71 lead.
The Celtics managed to take the lead once at 75-74, but when the final horn sounded it was the home team that owned the one-point edge.
Next up: The Squadron travels to Southaven, Mississippi, to meet the Memphis Hustle Sunday at 1 p.m.
Coaching ‘em up: Here’s a trivia question for you … who is the winningest coach in Birmingham professional basketball history?
That would be none other than the current Squadron coach.
Saint, who is winding down his second season guiding Birmingham’s G League team, won his 29th game on January 11, which put him atop the leaderboard among Magic City pro hoop bosses.
Records of his predecessors are 28-20 (Ryan Pannone, Squadron, inaugural season); 27-34 (Mo McHone, Birmingham Bandits, Continental Basketball Association); 21-18 (Jim Price (interim coach of both the Birmingham Vulcans and Birmingham Steelers of the Southern Professional Basketball League); 17-5 (Fred Lewis, Birmingham Skyhawks, Professional Basketball League of America); 14-13 (Wheeler Fleming, Vulcans); 8-3 (Ben Chapman, Steelers); and 5-8 (Cherry Foster, Vulcans).
After tonight’s rematch with Maine, Saint is 37-51 overall.
Of course, the main goal of G League coaches is to get players ready for the next level, and Saint is certainly getting the job done in that respect.
“Coach Saint has distinguished himself in the area of player development for many years both in the G League and NBA levels,” said David Griffin, executive vice president of basketball operations for the Pelicans. “His growth as a head coach has been profound.”
OTD in 1992: The Birmingham Bandits of the CBA lost to the Columbus Horizon, 105-104.
Skeeter Henry had a career-high 42 points for Birmingham, while Dave Popson finished with 16 points.
Eric Johnson had a double-double with 15 points and 18 assists, and Michael Cutright also had 15 points.
OTD in 2023: The Squadron fell to the Oklahoma City Blue, 113-111, with 1,813 fans at Legacy Arena looking on. James Kelly Sr. had a double-double to lead Birmingham (18 points, 12 rebounds). Other double-digit me for the Squadron were Kelan Martin (16), Javonte Smart (15), Feron Hunt (14), Seabron (12) and Zylan Cheatham (11).