Each week, “Coat Check” will highlight the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers.
CHECKING IN
2020 is only a week old, but so far it's been quite a year for the Delaware Blue Coats.
Entering this first Coat Check since the calendar flipped, the Delaware Blue Coats (12-8) have won back-to-back games in contrasting fashion. Coming off a seven-point loss to the College Park Skyhawks (Atlanta Hawks) at the end of December, the Blue Coats bounced back in a big way this past Saturday. In the franchise's first-ever afternoon game at 76ers Fieldhouse, Delaware was in control throughout its 111-88 victory over the Long Island Nets (Brooklyn Nets). On Tuesday night in New York, the team overcame a 15-point deficit to defeat the Westchester Knicks (New York Knicks), 122-109.
Christ Koumadje recorded a triple-double against the Nets with 12 points (6-11 fg), a season-high 16 rebounds, and a franchise-record 10 blocked shots in 32 minutes of action. Koumadje, who was a game-high plus-36, previously tied the franchise record with seven blocked shots (76ers two-way contract player Norvel Pelle, three times) on Dec. 19 against Stockton.
Koumadje, a Florida State product who played his high school basketball at Montverde Academy, said Saturday was his very first triple-double at any level.
76ers two-way contract player Marial Shayok continues to shine in his rookie season and led all scorers in each of the Blue Coats’ recent victories. In New York, Shayok poured in a game-high 25 points (8-17 fg, 5-10 3fg, 3-3 ft) with seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals in 30 minutes.
The Blue Coats’ “Defend-Run-Share” motto, a message prominently displayed in large, blue font atop the far wall of the team’s 76ers Fieldhouse locker room, took the form of 15 steals and 33 assists on Tuesday. Both marks represent the club’s second-highest total in each category this season.
TWO-WAY TRACKER
Marial Shayok
Your weekly G League scoring leaderboard update: Shayok currently ranks second in the league with 24.6 points per game.
The rookie has posted 20 points-or-more in each of the last six games, while draining 24 3-point field goals during that span. He converted a season-high six 3-point field goals on Dec. 27 against the Skyhawks.
Shayok also beat the first-half buzzer again in the College Park game…
Norvel Pelle
Pelle played 12 minutes for the 76ers on New Year’s Eve in Indiana, tallying two points (1-3 fg), three rebounds, and a blocked shot. He’s clocked 12-plus minutes in five of his eight total NBA appearances so far, blocking a shot in all but one such contest, and rejecting multiple shots on three separate occasions.
The 6-foot-10 big man suited up with the Blue Coats for the first time in more than a month on Tuesday, posting 10 points (5-5 fg), three rebounds and a block in just under 13 minutes off the bench.
BLUE QUOTE
Center Christ Koumadje, on his franchise-record 10 blocked shots against the Long Island Nets:
“That’s the franchise record? That’s pretty cool. Hopefully I can get 12 and keep it up.”
AT THE BUZZER
The Blue Coats Beat gives you an inside look at the Blue Coats, both on the court and in the community.
Episode 2 includes conversation about the organization’s efforts during the NBA Cares Season of Giving, the Blue Coats gameday experience at 76ers Fieldhouse and more.
UP NEXT
The Blue Coats return home to 76ers Fieldhouse on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET against the Grand Rapids Drive (Detroit Pistons).
This ‘Heroes & Villains Night’ game, presented by Nemours Sports Medicine, is scheduled to include a youth costume contest as well as appearances from Batman, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Minions and a host of Star Wars personalities from Delaware’s own First State Garrison.
For information on Blue Coats tickets, visit SIXERS.COM/BlueCoats.