Blue Coats “Not Dwelling on the Past” as They Make Playoff Push
Much like the NBA, the future of the 2019-20 G League season is unknown. Many around the league expect it to be canceled.
Enjoy this article as if things will proceed as normal, even though they very well may not. And, please, stay inside. Stay safe.
2,300 fans were at the 76ers Fieldhouse on Saturday, February 29th to take in a game between the Blue Coats (20-18) and the Windy City Bulls (16-23) with playoff implications on the line.
To give you an idea of the atmosphere of the game, it had a more local feel than your typical NBA game. The fans are local, local organizations have tables to advertise, and the players walk in and out through the front entrance of the arena, just like any other person.
Now, on to the game report.
The story of the night was starting center Christ Koumadje, a 7’3” big from Chad who played his college basketball at Florida State. He tallied 24 rebounds, tying the G League record for rebounds in a single game this season. Koumadje presents an interesting story. He only broke into the rotation during his junior and senior years at Florida State. The modest statistics he posted during those years were not enough to be on any NBA team’s draft boards.
Still, his 7’3” frame was enough for the 76ers to bring him into training camp and allow him to compete for a roster spot. After being cut and added to the Blue Coats opening night roster, he has wreaked havoc in the paint for opposing scorers, leading the G League with exactly 4.0 blocks per game.
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“I just crash [the glass],” he said. “I try to throw my body around and use my height to my advantage.” He also added that coach Connor Johnson has helped him with learning how to defend without fouling and be vertical. “It’s exciting to get a block, but sometimes you just have to make them miss and then go get the rebound,” Koumadje said.
Two-way contract player Marial Shayok continued his hot shooting against Windy City, leading the way for the Blue Coats with 25 points on 9-16 from the field. When asked about what playing with Shayok is like, Koumadje said that “he spreads the floor and gets so much attention.”
With Shayok on the opposing scouting report every night, he has worked to find his teammates when they get free. Shayok is 4th in the league in scoring (22.8 PPG), and continues to look like the NBA-ready scorer the 76ers hoped he would become when they took him in the second round of last summer’s draft.
The G League’s main focus is development. While they want to win as many games as they can, they are determined to have each player take a step forward on their basketball journey. Blue Coats GM Matt Lily once noted to me that there were very few 19-year-olds ready to step foot in an NBA rotation. Ties between the NBA and G League have continued to grow over the past few years.
Guards Jared Brownridge and Justin Robinson were key in breaking open a game that had tightened in the second half. Both came off the bench and chipped in 21 and 19 points respectively. The 6’1” Robinson had a highlight play in the 4th quarter in which he converted an acrobatic floater off the top of the glass over the outstretched arms of the 6’8” V.J. Beachem.
As a rookie, Robinson is still getting used to what it means to be a professional. When asked after the game about how Brownridge and Robinson figure into the game plan as the team hits the stretch run of the season, assistant coach and former NBA player Xavier Silas said that “those guys have huge roles on this team. We need them to be efficient. That role will continue to be the same.” Robinson said that he learned a lot during the 4-game losing skid that preceded Saturday’s game.
He admitted that coming out of college, he was not used to losing. “You learn from your mistakes,” he said, “but you also take the good things and not dwell on the past.”
With the 7’3″ rim protector Koumadje in the paint behind him, he noted that he’s begun to feel more comfortable applying pressure to opposing guards.
The Blue Coats regular season is winding down, and the team is seeking their first playoff berth since the rebranding and the move to 76ers Fieldhouse.
As the team plays their final eight games, the 76ers and other NBA teams will be taking a close look at the development of guys like Koumadje, Xavier Munford (18.2 PPG, 6.3 APG), Robinson (14.4 PPG, 6.2 APG), and Brownridge (14.8 ppg). Shayok will likely be with the 76ers full-time next season, and 2018 first-round pick Zhaire Smith has gotten some much-needed run in Delaware this season.
A big thank you to Matt Murphy, the Blue Coats’ play-by-play broadcaster and communications associate, for creating this opportunity.
The Blue Coats’ organization has done much to create an energetic environment for everyone in attendance.
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