UNIONDALE, N.Y. –The Maine Red Claws, presented by Unum, got a triple-double from Boston Celtics Two-Way Player P.J. Dozier, leading Maine to a 110-101 win over Long Island Sunday.
Dozier finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, the 14th triple-double in franchise history. Sheldon Jeter led the bench with 22 points, 19 of those coming in the first half. Justin Bibbs added 17 points, John Bohannon recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Vitto Brown scored 10 in the win for Maine (5-11).
Long Island (11-5) was led by Jordan McLaughlin with 29 points, Theo Pinson with 23, and Alan Williams with a monster 19 point-27 rebound performance.
Dozier started the scoring for Maine with a floating 15-footer. Andrew White knocked in a corner three to put Maine up 7-6. Dallas Laduerdale’s alley-oop turned into a three-point play for the Claws, and Dozier continued his hot start. Jeff Roberson knocked in a three to put Maine up 4, and Sheldon Jeter’s three extended it to 22-15. Dozier rattled in a 3 to put Maine up 10, but at the end of the 1st, the score was 33-26 Red Claws, with Dozier scoring 11 points in the 1st.
Vitto Brown rattled in a three to open the scoring in the 2nd. Jeter and Dozier drained back to back three’s to make it 51-41. Jeter was on absolute fire in the first half, scoring 19 points on 6-8 shooting, including 5-6 from downtown. Maine shot 13-27 from three-point range in the first half, and Dozier scored 14 in the half, helping Maine to a 65-53 halftime lead. Long Island shot just 33% (18-55) from the field in the first half, and 7-20 from beyond the arc.
In the 3rd, Long Island opened the half on a 7-0 run. John Bohannon silenced that with a lay-up, and Dozier’s contested bank shot put Maine back up 7. Brooklyn assignee Dzanan Musa buried a long three to cut the Red Claws lead to 2, and Alan Williams’ bank shot gave Long Island a 72-71 lead. Jeter made another three to put Claw up 6, and Justin Bibbs’ turnaround made helped carry Maine on a 14-2 run. The Red Claws led 87-78 after 3.
In the 4th, King buried a three, and Bohannon’s driving lay-up made it 96-81. Dozier wrapped up his triple-double with a pair of great assists and a key defensive rebound. Jordan McLaughlin’s three cut it to 98-91, and another three got it to 6. With the shot clock winding down, Bibbs hit a devastating deep three. Dozier’s bucket helped seal the deal.