PORTLAND, Maine (Interstat) — A surging Maine Celtics squad will host a struggling Grand Rapids Gold team seeking to reverse its fortunes when the G League clubs meet Friday night at the Portland Exposition Building.

The Celtics (23-21) enter with momentum after a 119-112 road victory over Osceola on Tuesday, powered by a career-high 42 points from guard John Tonje. Tonje’s explosive performance, which included seven rebounds, highlights his recent ascent as a key scorer for Maine.

They face a Gold team (19-24) mired in a difficult stretch, having lost eight of its last 10 games. Grand Rapids is coming off a heartbreaking 115-112 overtime home loss to Mexico City on Tuesday. Despite the defeat, center Moses Brown continued his dominant play with 22 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks.

Brown has been a consistent force, averaging a double-double with 22.1 points and 14.1 rebounds over his last 10 contests. His interior presence will be central to Grand Rapids’ hopes of slowing Maine’s attack.

The teams last met on Jan. 29 in Portland, where the Gold escaped with a 122-119 overtime victory. That result adds a layer of motivation for the Celtics in this rematch on their home floor.

Maine has found a rhythm offensively, scoring 119 or more points in three of its last four outings. Alongside Tonje, forwards Hank Morgan and Keon Johnson have provided steady production. Grand Rapids, conversely, has struggled defensively, allowing an average of 123.1 points during its 2-8 slide.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST Friday. The Gold continue a road swing Sunday at Oklahoma City, while the Celtics travel to face Birmingham on Monday.