Raptors 905 hold on for dramatic OT win over the Maine Celtics
The transition from the G League’s 14-game Tip-Off Tournament to the regular season schedule has been a positive one for the Raptors 905. They are winning games against solid competition and have seen improvement in a couple of areas where they previously struggled.
The 905 continued to take strides on Friday, improving their record to 3-2 with a 121-119 overtime win over the Maine Celtics.
One of the factors at play in the 905’s recent improvement has been the increase in two-way and affiliate players in the mix. Over their first five regular season games, they have had Jamison Battle and Jonathan Mogbo available for three apiece. During the seasons initial 16-game run Battle played in four games and Mogbo in just one.
Recent additions Frank Kaminsky and Jared Rhoden have also helped to reshape the affiliate’s roster and catalyze change.
The NBA contingent has played modest minutes in their time with the 905, yet their presence on the floor has appeared to have a calming effect. Offensive sets have looked cleaner and defensive execution has been sharper since Battle and Mogbo have been regularly involved. They have also helped to ameliorate some of the team’s weaknesses.
The dead-eye shooting that Battle has displayed in the NBA has carried over to the G League. He’s gone a scalding 8-of-9 from deep in his three appearances since the schedule reset, including 3-of-4 against the Celtics on Friday.
Battle hit triples on back-to-back possessions in the first quarter. First the 905 ran an empty side pick n’ pop with Kaminsky and Kennedy Chandler. Kaminsky’s defender closed out hard and he pumped and drove, before kicking out to Battle on the wing for the make. Next trip down, Rhoden got the ball on a Chicago action coming out of the corner and found Battle wide open on the opposite wing as he cashed again. The six-foot-seven wing finished with 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
The 905 have remained a bottom-five team in 3-point volume. Yet their percentage has improved from 33.8 during the Tip-Off Tournament portion of the schedule to 38.9 percent since the reset, good for fourth in the league.
Mogbo started his G League career the same way he started his NBA career, 1-of-1 from deep. Sharpshooter! He made one corner 3 in this game, but has contributed more in other areas that the squad was previously deficient in. He leads the team in regular season rebounding at 9.3 per game. His defence has been versatile and disruptive. And his ability to both push and make quality hit-ahead passes has fuelled the 905’s already robust transition attack. Mogbo was active on the glass against Maine, grabbing nine rebounds in the game, adding 11 points and three assists (Maine’s broadcast also mispronounced his name Mog-bo all night). The 905 ranked 27th with a rebounding percentage of 47.3 before the reset, they are 10th at 50.9 percent since.
The newest member of the Toronto Raptors, Eugene Omoruyi, had an outstanding game. He tied for a team-high with 20 points on ultra efficient shooting splits (5-of-8 from the field, 3-of-4 from 3, 4-of-5 from the line). The Canadian forward’s bet on himself cashed when he signed a 10-day contract with the Raptors on Sunday.
Rhoden also excelled, scoring 20 with eight rebounds and seven assists. The six-foot-six guard put his full tool kit on display. He used his athleticism to get downhill and either setup teammates after a paint touch or get all the way to the hoop and finish. Rhoden also got to his spots in the mid-range and made shots. He ran hard in transition and finished through contact. With the way he’s playing it wouldn’t be a surprise if he gets a look with the big club on either a 10-day or two-way contract at some point.
JD Davison and Jay Scrubb led the way for Maine. Davison has incredible physical tools for a small guard and nice jumper to go along with it. He impressed with his isolation scoring ability and also flew down the lane and put Battle on a poster. Scrubb came off the bench and filled up the hoop from all over the floor. He made back-to-back 3s, hit some nice middys, and got to the hoop on drives and cuts.
Sections of this game were very sloppy. The two teams totalled 36 turnovers – eighteen apiece – which isn’t unheard of in the G League but is certainly above average. There was a one-minute stretch in the second where Kameron Warrens stepped out of bounds, Quincy Guerrier had a kicked ball violation and Rhoden lost a ball out of bounds. There were also three fouls and three missed layups in that span.
With the 905 up five and one minute remaining, Baylor Scheierman (great name) hit ahead to Anton Watson sprinting behind the defence in transition and he went up for a strong two-handed slam. Going the other way, the 905 stayed in motion on offence but struggled to find an advantage resulting in a shot clock violation.
AJ Lawson isolated and beat his man to the bucket finishing with a nice scoop. Scheierman responded on the other end with a layup of his own. The two teams then went back and forth with the free throw game, setting up the Celtics for a possession down 114-111 with six seconds left.
Davison sprinted towards the sideline off a twirl action, dribbled, and continued his motion towards the sideline as he faded and canned a spectacular game-tying triple.
Time for first to seven G League ELAM overtime.
The extra frame was a mess to start. Both teams went scoreless for the first six possessions including three turnovers for the 905 and one for the Celtics.
With the 905 up 118-117, Mogbo handed off to Battle, got the ball back, drove his man into the paint, and flipped a nice underhanded dish to Kaminsky cutting baseline for the dunk.
Scrubb ran in transition off a bad pass by Omoruyi and drew a foul. He made both free throws, putting the teams each within a made basket of the win. The 905 wouldn’t need one though, as Omoruyi drew a double team on the ensuing possession, and then a foul as the Celtics accosted him in the paint.
Of course, Maine unsuccessfully challenged the clear foul call and the stage was then set for some dramatic game deciding free throws. The first one from Omoruyi, clank – rim. The second, all net. The walk-off free throw, an atypical way for a basketball game to end to say the least.
Notes –
- Qunicy Guerrier didn’t feature prominently in this game but he was a firecracker off the bench. He grabbed a steal under the Celtics basket and immediately went up for an emphatic two-handed dunk. Guerrier also came to double Davison on a drive into the paint, sprung the ball free, and then dove after it on the baseline completing the steal. He’s consistently put in a wholehearted effort regardless of his fluctuating minutes.
- Ulrich Chomche had a good game. He looked composed on post ups, not rushing or forcing anything. Rather than immediately taking the ball up he patiently waited for things to develop around him, making a couple nice feeds to teammates on cuts (Chandler left a bunny on the rim). Chomche also finished well inside, throwing down a dunk and making a nice short-range push shot in the fourth. The mobility and motor he has at his size paired with his seemingly astute defensive instincts make him a problem on the defensive end also. He finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and three blocks. Progress for the youngster! Check out Coty Wiles’ video essay for a full break down of Chomche’s young pro career thus far.
The post Raptors 905 hold on for dramatic OT win over the Maine Celtics first appeared on Raptors Republic.