College Park Skyhawks Edge Out Raptors 905 in Thrilling Home Opener

The College Park Skyhawks (2-0) kicked off their home season in style, defeating the Raptors 905 (1-1) in a high-scoring thriller, 122-117, at the packed Gateway Center Arena. Second-year guard Jarkel Joiner led the way with a career-high 30 points, going 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Joiner also added six rebounds, five assists, and a steal in his standout 30-minute performance.

Kevon Harris came close to a rare triple-double, posting 17 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while adding three steals in 32 minutes. The Ellenwood, Georgia native’s impressive stat line marks the first time a Skyhawk has recorded minimums of 15 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, and three steals in a single game since Tahjere McCall did so on February 11, 2020.

Tony Bradley dominated the boards, pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds to go along with 21 points, recording his 17th career double-double in the NBA G League. The Skyhawks had a balanced offensive attack, with six players reaching double figures: Joiner (30), Bradley (21), Harris (17), Daeqwon Plowden (12), Dwight Murray Jr. (12), and Jordan Bowden (10).

College Park’s offense started strong, with the team nailing seven three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 35-31 lead. Joiner was perfect from deep, hitting 3-for-3 from beyond the arc to set the tone. The hot shooting continued into the second quarter, with the Skyhawks connecting on 13 three-pointers in the first half (13-24, .542), tying the second-highest mark for threes in a half in franchise history.

Despite never trailing in the third quarter, the Skyhawks had to fend off a late comeback by Raptors 905. A 9-2 run from the visitors, capped off by four points from two-way guard D.J. Carton, tied the game at 115 with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. But Joiner, on his way to a career night, sealed the victory for College Park by scoring the last seven Skyhawks points, including a clutch go-ahead three-pointer with 44 seconds left.

Kennedy Chandler and Quincy Guerrier led Raptors 905 with 25 and 23 points, respectively, while Carton contributed a double-double of 17 points and 10 assists.

Up Next: The Skyhawks will look to build on this momentum with a rematch against Raptors 905 on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. They’ll then face a back-to-back against the Delaware Blue Coats on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m.