Raptors 905 put up lowest point total of season in loss to Greensboro Swarm
It was a rough night offensively for the Raptors 905 as they put up the least amount of points they have all season in their 121-86 loss to the Greensboro Swarm at Paramount Fine Foods Centre Tuesday night, falling to 2-7.
It’s the second time the 905 have put up less than 100 points this season, only dropping 95 against the College Park Skyhawks in the team’s third game of the year. It was a struggle in the half-court offensively in particular, as the junior Dinos couldn’t find any consistent scoring when the Swarm were set up defensively. Greensboro has locked down teams all season, sitting third in the G League in defensive rating (101.9). That defence has propelled the Charlotte Hornets affiliate to one of the best records in the league at 8-1.
The Swarm held the Mississauga squad to very low percentages across the board, allowing only 35.5 percent from the field, 24.2 percent from distance, and 46.2 percent from the free throw line. Despite this, the 905 were in the game in the third quarter, as an 8-0 Raptors run to start the third frame, and a couple of Kennedy Chandler 3-pointers would cut the lead down to one. However, a 27-6 run to end the quarter for Greensboro would balloon the Swarm’s lead to 23 and they wouldn’t look back from there.
“We gotta learn how to sustain a lead, we gotta learn how to push back,” said Raptors 905 head coach Drew Jones.
“We gotta learn how to compete when it matters most. That’s been who we are; we’re a resilient team, we’ve been able to withstand runs, get back in the games, but when it matters most, do we push back? And I think our lack of pushback showed today. We gotta be better in that area.”
Chandler was the best player on the 905 squad that was without D.J. Carton (left foot strain/injury management) and Ulrich Chomche (illness). The 22-year-old finished with a team-high 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. Chandler was able to get downhill, play fast, and was ultimately efficient, going 9-for-14 from the field and 3-for-4 from distance.
Dylan Disu started his third game of the year and was one of the most important players for his team because of his size. Without Chomche, the 24-year-old played a vital role, and when he was off the court, the 905 got caved in. His plus-minus was a -4, which was a team-high, and the Swarm outscored the Dinos 65-30 when he was off the court.
That allowed former 905 big Reggie Perry to feast. The 905’s all-time leading scorer and second all-time rebounder did both of those things successfully against his old squad, going for a cool 22 points and 15 rebounds. He dominated the paint and even stepped out to cash in a couple of shots from 3-point land as well.
Having lost back-to-back games and seven of their last eight, the 905 will have to fix things sooner rather than later before things get out of hand.
“We talked about looking at each other, the first thing we tend to do is want to look at others,” said Jones.
“We’ve got to stay connected, that’s one of our cultural pillars. We’ve got to stay connected despite what the score looks like. I told our guys, I don’t care if we’re up 20 or down 20. Let’s be who we are. We’ve got to be consistent with that regardless of what the score looks like. So for us, we’ve got to look internally. What can I do to be better? How can I help my teammate? As a coach, how can I put those guys in a better position to be successful?”
The 905 will only have one day to regroup and prepare before they take on Greensboro once again at a bright and early 11:00 am tip-off at Scotiabank Arena.
Other notable performances:
Raptors 905
Eugene Omoruyi 18 points and six rebounds
Charlie Brown Jr. Seven points, seven rebounds, and eight steals
Quincy Guerrier Eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one steal
Greensboro Swarm
Jaylen Sims 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal
Terrell Brown Jr. 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one block
Keyontae Johnson 13 points, four rebounds, and one steal
Marcus Garrett 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks
Caleb McConnell 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists
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