Sunday sports page: Hustle edge Celtics for weekend sweep
Photo: DJ Steward of the Memphis Hustle helped lead his team to a 115-107 victory over the Maine Celtics on Sunday at the Landers Center. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Feb. 23, 2025- The scoring combination of Cam Spencer and DJ Steward led the Memphis Hustle to a 115-107 victory over the Maine Celtics Sunday at the Landers Center in Southaven.
Spencer scored 25 points, including five from three-point land, and Steward added 22 among six players scoring in double figures for the Hustle. Their points helped counteract the 26 points scored from Maine’s JD Davison, who joined five other Celtics in double figures.
Hustle coach T.C. Swirsky said he expects those kind of nights from Steward and Spencer, but was especially complimentary of Steward’s performance.
“Stew has been incredible for us,” Swirsky said. “Ever since he got here, on and off the ball, he’s come off the bench. He’s started, he’s been point guard, he’s been shooting guard, he’s been small forward. He does whatever we ask, and tonight, his defense was also great.”
Armando Bacot added 10 rebounds to his 15 points for a double-double for the Hustle and Maine’s Tristan Enaruna hit double-double figures with 16 points and 12 boards. Hason Ward also went double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the contest.
The Hustle took a 30-19 lead to the first quarter break but the Celtics got within 53-47 with just under three minutes left in the half. Memphis led 63-54 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Hustle came out rolling to a 74-58 lead but the Celtics turned it right around to get within 74-67 Hustle with 8:35 remaining in the quarter, and took the lead at 81-79 with under five minutes before the third quarter break. Memphis would retake the lead at 84-76 entering the fourth quarter of play.
Memphis took a 109-97 edge with under five to play and was able to hold on for the eight point victory, which split the two-game series at 1-1. Maine defeated Memphis nearly two weeks earlier, also at the Landers Center.
The Hustle, now at 10-9 for the regular season portion of their schedule, will start a West Coast trip Wednesday morning at Stockton, California.
“They (Stockton) haven’t played a game yet since the All-Star break and we will be their first game, so hopefully they’re a little sluggish,” Swirsky said. “We got everything we wanted right in front of us and we should be fired up to play these guys because they’re one of the top teams in the West.”
The Memphis victory snapped an eight-game Celtics’ winning streak and was also Maine’s first game since a Thursday afternoon victory at Indiana, and Swirsky said Maine was actually at the Landers Center to watch Saturday’s 136-120 victory over Rio Grande Valley.
