The Raptors 905 keep finding ways to win-even when things get messy.
On Thursday night, they were once again without their two-way players, as the parent Toronto Raptors continue to deal with injury issues. But even shorthanded, the 905 dug in and found a way to grind out a 115-104 road win over the Capital City Go-Go. It wasn’t always pretty-21 turnovers and some clunky ball movement made sure of that-but the 905 owned the glass, ran the floor with purpose, and leaned on a few standout performances to get the job done.
Let’s start with the duo that powered the offense: Tyreke Key and Olivier Sarr. Both were locked in from the jump, finishing with identical 8-of-14 shooting lines from the field and 4-of-6 from deep.
Key poured in 25 points, while Sarr added 24 to go along with 14 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Key also got to the line and knocked down one more free throw than Sarr, giving him the slight edge in the box score.
But make no mistake-this was a two-man wrecking crew that kept the 905 offense afloat when things weren’t flowing.
David Roddy flirted with a triple-double, tallying 10 points, 10 boards, and nine assists. But he also gave the ball away eight times, a reminder of how much the 905 missed their usual primary ball handlers. Roddy’s vision and playmaking were still valuable, but some of his decisions left you scratching your head.
Tyson Degenhart turned in another efficient outing. The rookie wing dropped 15 points on just seven shots, added six rebounds and three assists, and continued to show why he’s one of the most efficient scorers in the G League this season. He came into the night ranked seventh in true shooting percentage, and he did nothing to hurt that standing.
On the other side, Alondes Williams kept Capital City in it with 30 points on-you guessed it-8-of-14 shooting. Sharife Cooper, the Go-Go’s lone available two-way player, chipped in 14 points and 11 assists, but the Go-Go couldn’t match the 905’s energy on the boards or in transition.
Early on, it looked like the 905 might be in for a long night. The offense was stagnant, the ball stuck, and defensive help rotations were a beat slow.
Jarkel Joiner and Key, filling in at guard for the absent Alijah Martin and Chucky Hepburn, both coughed up early turnovers. Capital City jumped out to a 23-11 lead behind hot shooting from Williams and Leaky Black, who each knocked down a pair of threes in the opening quarter.
But the 905 didn’t panic. Degenhart found Julian Reese for a dunk on a slick pocket pass, then Reese got to the line on the next trip down to help spark a mini-run.
Even when a broken play left Roddy fumbling the ball in the corner, it ended up in Key’s hands for a clutch three. That kind of gritty, next-play mentality helped the 905 claw back into it.
They started to impose their will physically-Degenhart muscled in a putback and drew contact in the post. Key slashed to the rim for an and-one and later finished in transition off a hit-ahead pass.
AJ Hoggard added a highlight-reel finish on the break, slicing through two defenders at full speed. By halftime, the 905 had flipped the script, taking a 55-48 lead behind Key’s 17 first-half points and Sarr’s 14 and nine.
Even with 12 turnovers in the first half-including six from Roddy-the 905 dominated the rebounding battle, holding a 28-16 edge and creating second-chance opportunities that kept the offense afloat.
Key picked up right where he left off to start the third quarter, drilling a deep three to push his total to 20 points. Sarr followed with a smooth pick-and-pop triple.
The Go-Go kept pace with some shot-making of their own, and both sides leaned into a shootout mentality-playing off shooters and daring them to fire. Key and Sarr added two more threes apiece, with Capital City answering in kind.
Most of the looks were lightly contested, but the shot-making was impressive on both ends.
Eventually, the 905 started to find cracks inside. Sarr set a savvy exit screen to free himself for a post-up and a soft hook finish.
Roddy hit Degenhart on a baseline cut for a reverse layup. The paint began to open up.
When Key and Sarr cooled off to start the fourth, the supporting cast stepped up. Quincy Guerrier, the Quebec native, scored three straight buckets at the rim.
Reese kept chipping in around the basket, finishing off rolls and slips with soft touches. Joiner added a couple of tough mid-range jumpers to keep the momentum going.
Defensively, the 905 had a few hiccups-some backcuts and open dunks slipped through-but overall, they tightened up. The help rotations sharpened, and they forced Capital City into tough looks. The eight-point lead they carried into the fourth ballooned to double digits and stayed there.
This wasn’t a statement win. It wasn’t flashy.
But it was the kind of game that good teams find a way to win. The 905 beat a team above .500 on the road, missing key pieces, and still improved to 10-1 on the season.
If they keep this up, this campaign could go down as one of the best in franchise history. But nights like this-gritty, imperfect, and hard-earned-are the foundation for something bigger.