Originally posted November 3, 2018
On a grey afternoon in Mississauga, the Raptors 905 started the season on a winning note with a 126-125 win over the Delaware Blue Costs.
Canadian Chris Boucher was the standout for the 905, putting up an impressive 33 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 3 block shots. Asked after the game if he had the green light, Boucher kept everything in perspective: "There just telling me to play my game and trying to get better that are no good yet".
Two way player Jordan Loyd also had a good game for the 905 with 24 points, a key bucket down the stretch and spectacular highlight dunk. Asked if he ever dunked like that before in a game, the short answer was "no".
Former second round pick and two-way player Demetrius Jackson led the Blue Coats with 34 points. Philadelphia 2017 second round pick Jonah Bolden also had a monster 28 points and 16 rebounds.
Following the Spurs in the 6 "3on3" format for NBA G-League game recaps this season, here's my take on what happened both "on the court" and "off the court" (with some bonus Loyd posters).
On the Court
High Octane: Both the 905 and Blue Coats scored over 100 points in the first three quarters. It will be interesting to see if the high scoring in the NBA this year trickle over into the G-League.
Charity & Effort: The 905 won the game despite shooting 41.7% from the field and 30.8% from three (the Blue Coats shot 50.5% and 39.3%). How did the 905 win the game? A 16 point advantage at the charity strip (34-49 to 18-28) and a 16 point advantage in second change points (27-11).
Dynamic Duo: Bolden and Jackson exploded for 62 points for the Blue Coats. Bryson, who hails from Australia, really caught my attention. He is definitely a player to keep your eye on and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get some playing time with the Philadelphia 76ers later this year.
Off the Court
Smaller than expected: Maybe I shouldn't be upraised with November being a busy month, but I expected a bigger crowd for the season opener. That said, the fans in attendance were certainly loud - especially in the fourth quarter.
It's getting crowded: The 2017-18 Eastern Conference Champions banner has been added to the rafters at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre. This brings the 905 banner count up to five when you add in the 2017 NBA-League Champions, 2017-17 Eastern Conference Champions, 2016-17 Central Division Champions and the 2015-16 Inaugural Season banner. The 905 banner count easily surpass that of the Mississauga Steelheads, who have two.
Schools Out: The Raptors 905 are offering PA version of Camp 905 on November 16th and 23rd.
A "w" is a "w"... you take every "w" no matter how you can get it.
Coach Jama Mahlalea on getting the win despite some uneven play