With the Raptors 905 eliminated from the playoff race and the top positions in next year’s G League draft being not quite as coveted as NBA lottery positions, the team seemingly had little to play for against the Motor City Cruise on Friday.
Motor City however is on the verge of the post-season race – they came into the game a half game back of the final spot – and had all the incentive in the world to go hard in the paint.
This disparity in motivation was reflected in the score to start, as the Cruise swiftly jumped out to a 20-point first-quarter lead.
While the 905 fought admirably, as they have all season long, it was no match for gap in talent and size between the two squads as Motor City mostly cruised to a 137-121 win.
The Cruise started all three of their two-way players: Ron Harper Jr., Daniss Jenkins, and Tolu Smith. However, it was Bobi Klintman and local tryout player John Ukomadu who were hitting all the shots early, combining to go five-of-five from deep.
Then Harper Jr. went off, sticking a couple triples – including a tough step-back – and euro stepping around DJ Jeffries and to the rim for a clean finish. The former Raptors two-way shot the leather off the ball in this game, going 7-of-9 on 3s for 28 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists.
The 905 were not only missing all three of their two-way players (A.J. Lawson is with the Raptors, Jared Rhoden has sprained ankle, and Ulrich Chomche is out for the season with a torn MCL) but also recent standout Charlie Brown Jr., who was unavailable due to illness. Brown Jr., Eugene Omoruyi, and Evan Gilyard have stepped into leading roles for the 905 in absence of the two-ways and it was the second straight game that a member of that trio was missing. Omoruyi served a one-game suspension on Wednesday against the Grand Rapids Gold for allegedly headbutting Windy City Bulls forward EJ Liddell in Monday night’s game.
The Toronto-raised forward didn’t skip a beat making the 905s first three baskets – all layups. The team was aggressive getting to the rim early, flashing middle, bullying their way to the basket, and proactively getting out in transition.
Gilyard used a mix of speed and guile to get into the thick of the Cruise defence and draw free throws. The five-foot-10 guard has had the best week of his four-year G League career scoring 34 points against Windy City, 27 against Grand Rapids and putting up 28 on 10-of-21 shooting against Motor City. He first showed glimpses of this kind of potential in December and has made the most of his opportunity since taking over the starting job point guard job in mid-January.
But the 905’s lack of size has put them at a disadvantage as of late. It continued to hurt them to start this game, as the Cruise turned multiple second-chance opportunities into open triples fuelling a 15-2 first quarter run. Smith ran roughshod in the paint, ultimately putting up a monstrous 20 point, 18 rebound performance. Even aside from the frontcourt, it was tough for the Raptors sub-six-foot starting backcourt to match up against Harper Jr.
As the floodgates opened for Motor City on offence the 905 couldn’t get out and run. Their aggression also started to wane as they hesitated when moving the ball around in the halfcourt, resulting in some choppy offensive possessions mostly devoid of advantages.
Gilyard and Tyreke Key started to shoot the 905 back into the game in the second. Lacey James stuffed a drive; Gilyard cashed his third jumper of the frame and suddenly the ever-resilient Mississauga squad had cut the deficit to single digits.
It was relatively short-lived. The Cruise went lob-city Clippers as Smith and G League dunk contest participant Ukomadu showed off some rim running in transition.
An aside: The high flying 23-year-old’s story is incredibly cool. Making Motor City off an open tryout, going to San Francisco for All-Star weekend and now starting in big games down the stretch is a sensational arc for Ukomadu who paid $250 out of pocket for a chance to make the team.
Still the 905 hung around. Tylor Perry hit a 33-footer to beat the clock after an errant pass. Omoruyi picked Klintman’s pocket and ran out for free throws. Even through their abysmal stretch since the start of February, the team has never lacked heart. Five of the 10 losses on their season-long skid were by two possessions or less – four were by a single possession.
Harper Jr. and Gilyard traded transition triples in the third. Then they traded more buckets; Gilyard fading to the short corner, Harper spotting up. The former 905er won the shot-making battle over the current 905er, just as the Cruise outshot the 905. They shot an preposterous 18-of-31 (58.1 percent) from downtown to the 905’s 11-of-31 (35.5 percent).
With three guards all under six-foot, the 905 were the epitome of an underdog in this game. Gilyard, Perry, and Kennedy Chandler – who slashed his way to 24 points – put up a remarkable fight. They continuously willed themselves within striking distance when it didn’t seem possible, one transition triple or blowby drive at a time.
Of course it wasn’t enough. The Cruise rode their unsustainably hot shooting and utter command of the glass to a mostly comfortable victory. Yet the 905’s plucky guards certainly made it less comfortable than it should have been.
The 905 now have three games remaining this season, two at home against the Capital City Go-Go and Long Island Nets, before concluding on the road in Wilmington against the Delaware Bluecoats.
