The Raptors 905 have plenty of intriguing players this season. Even though they were missing four of them on Friday, there were still a few captivating performances.
Mr. 905 Tyreke Key dropped 28 on 16 shots. Reigning G League Defensive Player of the Year Jamarion Sharp matched his average from last season with four blocks and was both ginormous and immobile. Malachi Smith sizzled on both ends with lightning-fast drives, decisive dimes and viscous point-of-attack defence.
But it wasn’t enough, as the 905 petered out in the fourth quarter and lost their season opener 128-117 to the College Park Skyhawks at Gateway Center Arena in Georgia.
Similar to their NBA affiliate, the 905 were banged up on Friday. Nate Bittle (two-way, right foot avulsion), Trey Jemison (right hand fracture), Chucky Hepburn (left hamstring strain), and Andre Jackson Jr. (left hamstring strain) were all out for Game 1. So we got an incomplete first look at the 905. But a look nonetheless.
Sharp looked comical. Like a caricaturist’s idea of a basketball player. His winning of the opening tip, first block and first rebound all looked abnormal. Kind of like an adult playing against kids. But a really tall and skinny adult. An adult stuffing a kid, mixed with Slenderman. It just looked bizarre.
But for all his absurd length, Sharp was unable to get to a couple of lobs and also still allowed the Skyhawks to score over him, which also looked weird. Height isn’t everything.
Meanwhile, Malachi Smith was blowing by defenders at will. Both to score and playmake. The game moved fast out of the gate. Tyreke Key hit warp speed in transition twice. He looked completely out of control, but apparently not, because he finished the layup both times.
Smith made a decisive pass to Nimari Burnett, who canned a deep 3. The pair played strong defence at the other end, too. RayJ Dennis tried a skip pass to the corner off a 77 skip action, but Burnett anticipated it and deflected the pass out of bounds. Smith pressured Keon Johnson on the ball and caused an over-and-back. College Park got gummed up in the gaps by the 905’s help defence, while the Junior Dinos accessed the rim often via Smith’s drives and transition play. They were up 10 through one.
Dennis got a runner to drop. But a Key flare screen into pick n’ roll got Tyson Degenhart a paint touch on the roll, and he sprayed to AJ Hoggard for one of his three triples. His second was a pull-up on the next offensive possession.
The offence shifted into gear. The 905 and Skyhawks kept running out and trading 3s. Hoggard got to rim driving out of the pick n’ roll, scoring 10 of his 15 points in less than two minutes. He got torched on the other end by Johnson, though (with the assistance of a Gortat screen on Sharp). The Skyhawks ate into the 905’s lead as Johnson dunked all over them. Sharp left the floor, and suddenly College Park turned into Lob City. The 905 missed shots, and their offensive process waned.
An aside, former Raptor and dunk contest participant Jamario Moon was apparently in attendance, according to the Skyhawks’ broadcast. Led by Johnson, the Skyhawks were far more impressive at his art form. He looked like a player who has four years of NBA experience and averaged over 10 points while starting 56 games two years ago for the Brooklyn Nets. Johnson had the ball on a string through the 905’s pressure, controlled the game and scored like a star.
Johnson, Key and Dennis all exchanged 3s to end the half, and the Skyhawks were up one. Then they played the third quarter in a dead heat, setting up a compelling finish.
The 905 missed three push shots from the short-mid range in short order. The dynamic from earlier in the game flipped as the Skyhawks soared to the rim and free-throw line. Recent two-way signing Kevin McCullar Jr. hit a triple, then jumped a passing lane for a pick-six. The 905 retook the lead.
But the Skyhawks kept driving, kept cutting, remained resilient, found avenues downhill and reaped the rewards. A couple of 905 turnovers resulted in a barrage of 3s that sealed the deal. In a close game with 17 lead changes, College Park finished on an 18-4 run over the final four minutes.
I’d be remiss not to mention Canadian Olumide Adelodun’s play in his first G League game. The new 905er had a defensive possession where he almost broke up a handoff for a steal, then almost stole the pass back out, and then pressured out to halfcourt off the reset. He hit a pull-up 2 and finished decisively inside. Adelodun had 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting and five boards. Quality G League debut.
The 905 play the Skyhawks again at 2 p.m. on Sunday before returning to Mississauga for their home opener on Wednesday against the Greensboro Swarm.
