ATLANTA (Interstat) — The Maine Celtics built a commanding early lead and then withstood a furious second-half rally from the College Park Skyhawks to secure a 112-103 victory in a G League game Sunday at Gateway Center Arena.

Maine improved to 16-10 with the win, while College Park fell to 8-18.

The game’s defining stretch came in the first half, where Maine’s defensive intensity and offensive execution created a deficit from which College Park could not fully recover. The Celtics opened the game on a 15-0 run, holding the Skyhawks scoreless for nearly the first five minutes. College Park missed its first nine field goal attempts and committed three turnovers during that span, with Maine’s Ron Harper scoring five early points.

Maine extended its lead throughout the first two quarters, capitalizing on College Park’s mistakes. The Skyhawks finished the first half with 12 turnovers, which the Celtics converted into 18 points. Maine’s defense also limited College Park to just 36 points by halftime, the Celtics’ largest halftime lead of the season at 57-36.

Tosan Evbuomwan was instrumental for Maine, particularly during the first-half surge, contributing on both ends with multiple defensive rebounds and steals that fueled the Celtics’ transition game. Amari Williams provided a strong interior presence for Maine, while Harper’s activity helped set the early tone.

The most important part of the game, however, was College Park’s determined response after intermission. The Skyhawks, led by RayJ Dennis and Nikola Djurisic, exploded for 67 points in the second half. They outscored Maine 32-29 in the third quarter and won the fourth quarter 35-26, repeatedly cutting the lead to single digits in the final period.

Dennis orchestrated the comeback attempt, facilitating for others and scoring himself to finish as the game’s high scorer. Djurisic and Basheer Jihad provided consistent scoring punch, and Asa Newell offered energy off the bench. The Skyhawks’ surge forced Maine to repeatedly call timeouts and re-insert starters to stabilize the game.

Every time College Park threatened, Maine had an answer. In the fourth quarter, with the lead trimmed to nine, the Celtics executed a critical sequence. After a Skyhawks turnover, Ron Harper drilled a 3-pointer off an assist from Jalen Bridges. Following a College Park 3-pointer, Max Shulga responded with one of his own on the next possession, assisted by Harper, to push the lead back to 12 with under five minutes to play. This pattern of timely baskets prevented the Skyhawks from ever getting closer than seven points in the final minutes.

The victory was Maine’s third straight over College Park this season, following a two-game sweep in December. The teams will meet again in Atlanta on Wednesday. The Celtics’ early dominance proved just enough to offset the Skyhawks’ resilient, high-scoring second half in a game that was projected to be a more comfortable Maine win. The Celtics’ ability to establish control early and then manage the late-game pressure was the decisive factor.