Raptors 905 102, Iowa Energy 98 | Box Score
The Raptors 905’s media and public relations department threw E.J. Singler to the wolves in his first game with the team, tasking him with greeting the crowd at Hershey Centre before tip-off, a pre-game tradition in Mississauga. In a surprising turn, the crowd gave Single a hearty ovation, apparently aware of who the Oregon product was after being acquired for a second-round pick at the trade deadline a week earlier. (That, or they wanted to show him support after the announcer nearly flubbed the intro.)
Head coach Jesse Mermuys similarly saw it fit to give Singler a trial by fire his first time out, tasking the Josh Donaldson-adjace coifed sharpshooter with 28 minutes in his debut. The returns in that case, too, were more than could have been expected. Singler brought a great deal of energy off the bench, finishing with 12 points and three assists and guarding three different positions, including some spot minutes as a de facto rim protector as the 905 went small to combat a stretchy Iowa Energy attack.
“I thought he was big time,” Mermuys said after the game. “He helps us because they have to honor his 3-point shooting. But tonight, being able to switch everything. All these teams are forcing my hand to take Lucas (Nogueira) and Sim (Bhullar) off the court. We had to go small tonight, and E.J. was big.”
As far as hitting the ground running goes, Singler’s debut with the team was all he could ask for. As the 905 looked to close out the game late, Singler was a major factor, helping off of the corners to seal the baseline and show traffic in the paint. On offense, he knocked down a pair of triples and fought for loose balls, even saving an errant Delon Wright pass at a key juncture to avoid a turnover, and later scoring a crucial and-one after corralling a difficult swing pass.
He had a big impact at both ends. Considering he’s had just a week of practice with his new club, that’s a pleasant surprise. The fans continued their early response to him, too, as Singler was an in-demand player for autographs with fans after the 905 secured the 102-98 victory with an impressive defensive stand on Iowa’s final possession.
“I think that happens to a lot of guys who are labelled 3-point shooters,” Singler said of catching some people sleeping with his defensive impact. “But I take pride in being an overall player. A lot of NBA teams are looking for 3-point shooters and defenders, so that’s a big, key thing I’m trying to work on.”
The adjustment period to a new team late in the year can be difficult, but the tight locker room the 905 have developed has made that transition seamless for Singler and Davion Berry, another deadline acquisition who played 21 solid two-way minutes off the bench.
“They’ve really opened their arms up to me,” Singler said. “It’s been a great feeling coming here. The guys have really embraced me and Davion.”
“It’s going good,” Berry agreed, seeming relaxed, if maybe a little anxious, in his new digs. “It’s alright, they’re treating me good.”
This isn’t just lip service from the new guys, either. The 905 locker room was boisterous after the win, their first in three games, and Singler made for an easy target after getting on ovation and autograph requests.
“Ask him what the J stands for!” Michale Kyser hollered as Singler’s mini-scrum began, pointing out the curiosity of Singler only being listed as “Edward J. Singler” online. (And shout out to people named Edward who don’t go by that name. Real recognize real.)
“No comment. I’m pleading the fifth amendment,” Singler responded, before being interrupted shortly thereafter by teammate Scott Suggs. Suggs, the team’s game-high scorer with 22 points in a masterfully steady and efficient performance when the team really needed it at that end, extended his phone into the scrum.
“Do you think Oregon can beat U-W again?” he asked, drawing derision from the Ducks alum since it just happened Thursday.
The jokes and high spirits weren’t just directed at Singler. The entire locker room was having a great time.
“It’s Friday night!” Nogueira hollered, looking to shirk post-game media after an eight-point, two-rebound night in 17 bench minutes.
“It’s a good day, man,” Bruno Caboclo, he of 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting, smiled as he laced up his Gucci shoes.
“Michale Kyser is so fly. How fly is he?” Kyser asked to nobody in particular in a purple throwback Mitchell & Ness Raptors snapback.
And asked about Dunk Contest finalist D.J. Stephens windmilling an offensive rebound, injured champion John Jordan warned “Not to dunk on my rims.” Jordan, by the way, is nearing a return and would have been available in the event of an emergency Friday. DeAndre Daniels is also nearing a return.
As for Wright, he seemed happy to be able to avoid post-game attention, even if his 17 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and three blocks certainly warranted some attention. He and Shannon Scott started in the backcourt together with Wright working off-ball on defense, and both guards came up huge on the glass to help make up for the occasional lack of size inside (the Raptors played nine minutes without a center and most of the game without a natural power forward), combining for 23 rebounds on the night.
It was a game full of victories in those small battles. The two sides played a little bit of chess in terms of lineup matching, and the 905 gave up some screening and easy buckets at the rim to better defend a five-out attack. Their offense stalled out at times, and they committed 10 of their 16 turnovers in the second half, but it also allowed them to force Iowa into a steady stream of late-clock heaves, producing a 10-of-32 night from long-range and 41.2-percent shooting overall.
The roster has been in disarray for weeks, for all the right reasons, and the players who remain have used that opportunity to galvanize, integrate, and push forward. Mermuys was in his usual terrific mood before the game and warned he wasn’t sure what kind of mood he may be in after. His demeanor wasn’t quite to the level of his charges, but the unrelentingly positive Mermuys couldn’t fight back a grin.
“We’ll take the win,” he said.
They’ll take it, and try to repeat it Saturday when they host Iowa once again.
