Stars Capture 123-107 First Round Win over Maine Celtics in the Showcase Tournament 

SALT LAKE CITY (December 19, 2025) — The Salt Lake City Stars earned their first win of the Winter Showcase Tournament with a 123-107 victory over the Maine Celtics on Friday. The matchup marked the teams’ first meeting of the season and advanced the No. 2-seeded Stars to the semifinals, where they will face the No. 6 Stockton Kings for the fourth time this season.

Maine opened the game strong offensively, jumping out to a 16-8 lead midway through the first quarter. Salt Lake City responded with a quick offensive surge, erasing the deficit, and a floater by Sean East II gave the Stars a 26-25 lead at the 1:00 mark of the opening period.

The Stars continued to build on their advantage and never gave up the lead. Salt Lake City took a 68-54 lead into halftime and pushed the margin to as many as 22 points in the third quarter.

Two-way guard Elijah Harkless led all scorers with 32 points (10-19 FGM, 6-6 FTM), marking his fourth 30-point performance of the season. Two-way big man Oscar Tshiebwe recorded his eighth double-double, scoring 14 points (6-7 FGM) while grabbing 17 rebounds (4 OR, 13 DR).

Five Stars finished in double figures. From the starting lineup, all three two-way players surpassed 10 points, led by Harkless (32), followed by Tshiebwe (14) and John Tonje (14). Off the bench, East II paced the reserves with 22 points, while Cameron McGriff added 14.

Maine was led by Ron Harper Jr., who scored 29 points, followed by Amari Williams with 28.

The No. 2 Stars now face a familiar opponent in the No. 6 Stockton Kings. Salt Lake City holds a 3-0 advantage in the season series. The semifinal matchup is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 21, at 1:30 p.m. MT and will air on ESPNU.