PORTLAND, Maine — The sounds of basketball returned to the Portland Expo this week, and plenty of new faces took the court for the first time as Maine Celtics.
The Boston Celtics' G-League affiliate began training camp Tuesday as the team prepares for its upcoming season tipping-off with a two-game matchup against the Westchester Knicks on Nov. 4 and Nov. 6.
When Maine and Westchester take the floor, the home team will be coached by an old face but in a new role. Alex Barlow was named the head coach of the Celtics earlier this month after spending three years as an assistant.
“It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time," Barlow said about being named head coach after practice on Tuesday.
Barlow was the associate head coach under Jarell Christian last season and was named the organization's director of Maine basketball and player development earlier this month.
Tuesday's practice was fast paced, as the Celtics hope to play with a lot of energy and look to move the ball quickly this season.
“We’re going to play a lot faster than we did last year. We just have different personnel," Barlow said.
The new wave of Maine Celtics is led by two-way players JD Davidson and Mfiondu Kabengele. Davidson was drafted from the University of Alabama by Boston in this year's NBA draft.
Kabengele comes to Maine after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers organizations, seeing action both at the NBA and G-League levels.
NBA veteran and former college standout Denzel Valentine will return for Maine this season. Luka Samanic was also added to the roster this off-season. The former No. 19 overall pick last played in the NBA in 2021 with the San Antonio Spurs.
Although Kabengele will spend plenty of time down in Boston, he is trying to set a standard in Portland. He was with the NBA team during its training camp a few weeks ago and wanted to bring the lessons he learned to his teammates in the G-League.
“And it was amazing to see the flow of practice when guys are vocal. Coaches weren’t doing much talking. It was just reps, which is what we need," he said.
The 6-foot-10 center also remembers his first time playing in the Portland Expo as an opponent and is ready to be on the other side of that experience.
“I didn’t know much about Maine. I thought it was going to be like a weak crowd. Soon as we get [to the Expo], the gym is packed. It’s loud. It's rocking. Fans are engaged. It definitely shook us my rookie year,” he said.
Some returning Celtics only got a taste of that home atmosphere last season. COVID restrictions forced the team to follow a city-mandated mask-wearing policy and have limited fan capacity.
But the team was able to have sell-out crowds during its last few home games at the end of last season.
“It’s one of the best environments in the G-league when it’s sold out," Barlow said about the Expo. “I love playing here. I know the players love playing here, so we’re excited to have the fans back."
Eric Demers is another player on the roster ready to hear the roars of the crowd again.
"I think Portland is a great spot to have a G-league city, and we’re looking forward to getting the city and the state of Maine back into the Expo," he added.
The Massachusetts native made his way to the roster last fall after a record-setting career at Division III Gordon College.
“My role and my identity here in Maine isn’t going to change much this year, but just going into that role with a little more confidence this year," Demers said.
After one year of professional basketball, Demers said he learned he always needs to be ready to get into the game because you never know "when your number is going to get called."
While the team was practicing on the court Wednesday, vendors were also preparing concession stands around the arena, getting the proper food and beer labels ready to go, a true sign basketball season in Maine is right around the corner,