Written by Matt Murphy
Each week, “Coat Check” will highlight the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers.
CHECKING IN
Last week’s record: 1-2
It was a busy week for the Blue Coats (6-10), one that began with a serious test on very little rest.
A canceled flight and numerous bus delays due to weather resulted in the team not leaving Greensboro, North Carolina until 10 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9. The club drove through the night, hit a rest stop around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning, and arrived back in Delaware just as most people were getting out of bed for the start of another workweek. And the guys had a game to play that night.
Despite trailing the Oklahoma City Blue (Oklahoma City Thunder) by 20 points early in Monday’s fourth quarter, the “Comeback Coats” won, 115-114, on a Haywood Highsmith floater with 4.5 seconds left.
Highsmith matched fellow Blue Coat D.J. Hogg (7-13 3fg) with a game-high of 23 points.
Later in the week, the team hit the road for two games in Texas. The Coats came up short against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets), 104-97, on Thursday.
Then, on Saturday, they fell to the Texas Legends (Dallas Mavericks), 110-95. Cameron Oliver notched his fourth double-double of the season with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
TWO-WAY TRACKER
Demetrius Jackson
Jackson played in two games with Blue Coats last week, averaging 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 35.0 minutes per game. He also dressed for the 76ers in their game against the Brooklyn Nets.
Shake Milton
Milton logged time in the 76ers’ past five outings, and subsequently appeared in no games with the Blue Coats last week. He tallied 10 points in the Sixers’ December 17th loss at San Antonio.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: HAYWOOD HIGHSMITH (6-7 220)
Weekly numbers: 3 GP | 16.7 PPG | 7.0 RPG | 1.7 SPG
Season numbers: 16 GP | 13.7 PPG | 7.5 RPG | 2.9 APG
Basketball Fact: Named to 2018 NABC Division II All-America Team
Fun Fact: Hidden talent is football (cornerback, specifically)
CHECK THIS
A (windmill) Space Jam for Space Cam.
UP NEXT
The Blue Coats are in Las Vegas, Nevada for the 2018 MGM Resorts NBA G League Winter Showcase. The league’s premier in-season scouting event features all 27 G League teams, with each team playing two regular season games. With the event being held in December for the first-time ever, it gives NBA team personnel the opportunity to evaluate two-way and NBA G League talent in advance of the 10-day signing period and two-way guarantee deadline.
Select photos courtesy of Wayne Terry