The Raptors 905 nearly overcame a 19-point deficit but ultimately fell short to the Capital City Go-Go, losing 123-116 to on the second leg of the home back-to-back.
The Go-Go were led by rookie Makur Maker, a lengthy South Sudanese-Australian big man and younger cousin of Thon Maker, the 10th overall pick from the 2016 NBA Draft. Listed at 6’10” and fluid for his size, Maker was a handful for the shorter Reggie Perry and 905 supporting cast. He also demonstrated shooting touch, making four-of-eight of his threes tonight — a career-high.
In just his second start of his G-League career, he rewarded Go-Go head coach Mike Williams with a career two-way performance of 28 points and 13 rebounds before he fouled out late in the fourth. Maker’s team is 2-0 when he starts.
Fellow starter and Washington Wizards two-way player Devon Dotson contributed 18 points and seven assists, while Go-Go big man Vernon Carey Jr. was unable to replicate his strong performance from the night before with just seven points and three rebounds in this contest.
Leading the 905 was Perry, who returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench Monday night behind the one-and-done Joe Wieskamp. He went into the halftime break with 13 points on four-of-12 shooting and two turnovers. He exploded in the second half, producing for his team by aggressively attacking the rim and frequenting the charity stripe where he made eight-of-10.
“I knew the team needed me,” said Perry of his second-half surge. “I really wanted to implement myself defensively in the second half. That carried over offensively, and I just got into a mode of where I was just in attack mode all the time.”
Perry had a season-high 37 points and nine rebounds in the loss, vaulting him to the top 10 in scoring across the NBA G-League with an average of 24.3 points per game. However, it should be noted the team defence overall was porous due to the Go-Go’s guards constantly blowing by their man and Maker on the boards.
Raptors assignee Dalano Banton once again showcased his offensive chops, demonstrating some growth as a bucket-getter and playmaker. He had 24 points and a season-high eight assists. Banton is a top five scorer in the league, averaging 25.2 points per game.
Banton and Perry are the second-highest scoring pair of teammates in the league with a combined total of 49.5 points per game. They’re only behind Windy City Bulls guards Carlik Jones (27.5 points per game) and Ethan Thompson (23.2 points per game) who put up 50.7 points per game.
Quenton Jackson, a 6’5” guard from Texas A&M, led all scorers off the bench with an efficient 21 points, which he earned mostly by slithering into the paint every chance he got and muscling his way to the foul line. He also contributed five rebounds, four assists, and two steals, making for a productive, well-rounded night in just 24 minutes of playing time.
Ron Harper Jr. continued his hot streak of seven consecutive games scoring at least 12 points.
“I play with a lot of really talented basketball players on this team,” said Harper Jr. “They do a really good job of getting me the ball, finding my opportunities. I only took 11 shots today, but they’re all in the rhythm of the game. I only took 11 shots today, I couldn’t ask for better shots than that.”
The two-way rookie had an efficient 22 points shooting 54.5 percent from the field and four-of-four from the line, though his presence on the court faded in a fourth quarter where he got a single bucket.
The Raptors 905 play next on Thursday against the Motor City Cruise on the road with tip-off at 7:00 P.M. This kicks off the first of three consecutive road games. The 905 return home on January 25th against the Birmingham Squadron.
Raptors 905 vs. Capital City Go-Go box score click HERE
