Raptors 905 three-game win streak snapped by Grand Rapids Gold

The eastern conference-leading Raptors 905 would have their three-game win streak snapped 127-109 to the Grand Rapids Gold Thursday night at Van Andel Arena. The loss dropped the 905 to 5-3 in the regular season.

With the abundance of talent on the 905 roster, they started hot, beginning the game on a 10-run. The second half of the first quarter would stay fast-paced and competitive, but it would go to the Gold, as they would cut the lead to 30-24 by the end of the first frame.

The second quarter and beyond would go off the rails for the junior Dinos.

Grand Rapids would build on their solid end to the first by beginning the second on a 14-6 run and outscoring the 905 43-23 overall in the frame. There was a lid on the rim for the Raps, finishing the quarter 9-for-27 from the field and 2-for-9 from three. The Gold defended the middle of the floor and rim extremely well all night, but seemed to turn it up in the middle quarters as they did the same thing after halftime as well.

The Gold were hitting everything, from schemed open looks to just flat out tough shot-making. After putting up 43 in the second quarter, Grand Rapids would put up 38 in the third, extending the lead to as many as 30 with just over three minutes to go in the frame. The lack of defence from the 905 was felt all game, as the Gold would hit 100 points with 2:30 left to go in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter would play out like typical blowouts do, with the effort dropping from both sides as players from the bench begin to check in as Grand Rapids would cruise to victory after a rocky start.

Rookie roundup

The junior Raptors had reinforcements for this one, including draft picks Ja’Kobe Walter and Jonathan Mogbo.

They were both super impactful, with Walter taking charge offensively. The 20-year-old finished with a team-high 20 points, six rebounds, and one assist. Walter started the game as the point guard and was efficient from three, going 3-for-6 from distance.

Mogbo had his best offensive game this season in the minors, finishing with a double-double, putting up 15 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five assists. He continued looking great on defence, coming off a four-game stretch where he put up a 97.0 defensive rating (first on the 905 25th in G League).

Another fantastic rookie was Ulrich Chomche. The 19-year-old also put up a double-double, finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds. He also protected the rim like he meant it, finishing with a whopping six blocks, something he has done before this season.

Canadian Contingent

There were many Canadians in this one on both sides, including Raptors two-way A.J. Lawson. The 24-year-old put up 10 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, pushing the pace as he always does. The Toronto, Ontario wasn’t the most efficient, going 4-for-16 from the field, but he was more efficient than the usually steady Eugene Omoruyi.

The Toronto, Ontario, raised forward didn’t score a point tonight, going 0-for-6 from the field, only finishing with two assists.

Montreal, Quebec native Quincy Guerrier also played in limited minutes, finishing with six points and a steal.

Grand Rapids also has some Canadian flair themselves in big man Charles Bediako. The Brampton, Ontario native played one of his better games of the year, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and matching Chomche’s six blocks.

Alexander was Gold

The shining star for the Gold was Trey Alexander. Finishing with 30 points — 25 of which were in the first half — he was magnificent, getting to the middle of the floor, hitting shots from all over and getting out in transition. Alexander added eight assists while going 4-for-19 from distance.

The 905 will now return home for two games against the Valley Suns and Westchester Knicks before heading out to Laval, Quebec, to take on the Long Island Nets for a pair of contests.

The post Raptors 905 three-game win streak snapped by Grand Rapids Gold first appeared on Raptors Republic.