Justin Edwards shines in Blue Coats’ season opener despite buzzer-beater loss

With a gloom start to the Sixers season, the two-way player may provide a much-needed silver lining with his performance in Delaware.

The Delaware Blue Coats opened their season on Saturday, hosting the Toronto Raptors G-League affiliate Raptors 905 in Wilmington. The game proved to be a worthy escape for disheartened Sixers fans, as the Blue Coats and Raptors 905 went back-and-forth for 48 minutes. Undrafted free agent and two-way wing Justin Edwards led the cavalry with 28 points, but it would be a last second buzzer-beating three-pointer from 905’s Tyreke Key that would be the difference in a 116-115 defeat for Delaware.

The Blue Coats’ season opener had four quarters which all tell a different story. The first quarter saw the Coats jump out to a three/point lead off the back of Patrick McCaw, who did not miss any of his three shots in the first frame. The second quarter saw consistent offense near the rim for Raptors 905, as the Blue Coats struggled with rim protection mightily. By halftime, the Coats were down 14 which was equal to their points in the paint margin, only scoring 24 points in close compared to 905’s 38 points.

The energy swung back the Blue Coats’ way in the third quarter, as they went on a 14-0 run about halfway through the frame to cut the lead back down to just one. McCaw would have a personal 5-0 run after hitting a jumper, recording a steal, and finding his spot with another jumper which fell down and drew a foul, in which he converted the and-one play.

The fourth quarter was tight for all 12 minutes. Ten lead changes marked the competitiveness both teams brought in the final frame in order to secure their first victory of the season. Edwards would put up 10 of his 28 points in the fourth, and was vital in keeping pace with Raptors 905. He would hit two massive free throws with 6.4 seconds left to give the Coats a two-point lead. Unfortunately, this was just enough time for D.J. Carton to find Key on the wing for the buzzer-beater three, sending the Raptors 905 home with a 116-115 victory.

“We came back, we competed, but obviously we fell short,” Blue Coats head coach Mike Longabardi said postgame. “But it’s a good learning lesson, because in those situations, we don’t want to give up a three. If anything, they go to the basket and score, and we play an Elam ending.”

Despite the result being undesirable, Edwards appeared to be the bright spot for an organization simply lacking joy. The Imhotep product played with an energy and effort level that was a notch above anyone else on the court. His shooting was of most interest, having made 4-of-11 attempts from three-point range. The types of shots, including pull-up jumpers and contested catch-and-shoot attempts, showcased the confidence he feels from three.

“I feel good, I thought every shot was going to go in,” Edwards said. “I’ve been working a lot going back and forth with both [the 76ers and Blue Coats], and I’ve been working on my catching shot.”

Four makes from deep ties Edward’s highest mark during his one season at Kentucky, where he also never shot more than seven threes in a game. He would finish the game making 10 of his 23 shots, which was a surprising figure for the former Wildcat.

“I never really expect to shoot that many shots, but my team said I was rolling and kept getting me the ball,” Edwards said.

Edwards played with the Sixers summer league team, so some chemistry from players on that roster like Judah Mintz, Jordan Tucker and Max Fiedler could have carried over. Edwards would have mixed results when playmaking, securing four assists but also having a couple drives that led to an ugly shot attempt or an errant pass. He would also finish with six rebounds, helping the Coats finish with a +11 advantage on the boards.

More performances like Saturday’s from Edwards could start to creek the door open for a potential roster spot on the Sixers, but lets not overreact to one game. Coach Longabardi believes the team is “further ahead offensively than defensively,” so expect to see a similar workload for Edwards whenever he is with the Blue Coats.

Delaware’s next game is against the Maine Celtics on Monday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. in Wilmington.