Skyhawks Survive Late Raptors 905 Rally, Remain Undefeated With 125-124 Thriller

 

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — The College Park Skyhawks are making things interesting early in the 2026-27 NBA G League season, and Sunday’s matchup against Raptors 905 was no exception.

After opening the season with an 11-point victory Friday night, the Skyhawks found themselves in a much tighter battle during their first Kids Day game of the season at Gateway Center Arena.

This time, it came down to the final seconds.

Behind another impressive performance from Atlanta Hawks two-way guard RayJ Dennis, College Park held off Raptors 905 for a thrilling 125-124 victory, improving to 2-0 while handing the visitors their second consecutive loss.

Dennis led the charge with 30 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in 38 minutes, recording his second straight double-double to begin the season and his third consecutive double-double dating back to the 2025-26 campaign.

The franchise leader in games with at least 30 points and 10 assists added another milestone to his résumé, reaching that mark for the fifth time in his Skyhawks career.

But Dennis wasn’t the only player making headlines.

Atlanta Hawks two-way forward Jalen Wilson made quite the first impression in his Skyhawks debut, finishing with 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 37 minutes.

Wilson’s performance tied Jacob Toppin for the fourth-most points scored by a player in his Skyhawks debut, trailing Keon Johnson’s 38, Kobe Bufkin’s 34 and N’Faly Dante’s 33.

Fifth-year guard Keon Johnson, who poured in a franchise-record 38 points in Friday’s season opener, followed that performance with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Kobe Johnson also continued his strong start, recording 13 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double in as many games.

Unlike Friday’s season opener, when College Park had to overcome an early double-digit deficit, the Skyhawks came out ready to play.

Both teams found their offensive rhythm quickly, shooting better than 50 percent from the field during the opening quarter.

Dennis wasted little time getting involved, scoring 10 points and dishing out four assists in the first period, helping College Park establish a 34-30 advantage heading into the second quarter.

The Skyhawks continued controlling the pace in the second, maintaining their lead throughout the period and stretching the margin to as many as 11 points.

Dennis entered halftime with 16 points as College Park carried a 69-64 advantage into the locker room.

However, anyone expecting the Skyhawks to cruise through the second half had another thing coming.

The third quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle featuring six lead changes and four ties.

Wilson stepped up offensively, scoring 12 of his 27 points in the period and helping College Park maintain a narrow 97-95 lead heading into the fourth.

And that’s when things got interesting.

Raptors 905 opened the final period with urgency, outscoring the Skyhawks 14-8 over the first five minutes.

College Park responded with a 17-13 advantage over the following six minutes, setting up a 122-122 tie with just one minute remaining.

With 52 seconds left, Cameron Corhen drew a foul on a putback attempt and converted one of two free throws, giving the Skyhawks a 123-122 lead.

After Kevin McCullar Jr. missed a potential go-ahead basket, Dennis drew a foul and knocked down both free throws to extend College Park’s advantage to 125-122.

But the game wasn’t over.

Tyreke Key answered with a layup, trimming the deficit to one point. Two missed free throws by College Park gave Raptors 905 one final opportunity to steal the victory.

With three seconds remaining, Malachi Smith attempted a mid-range jumper, but the ball wasn’t released before the final buzzer.

And just like that, the Skyhawks escaped with a 125-124 victory.

Smith led Raptors 905 with 24 points, five assists and three steals, while Key added 23 points and six assists.

For College Park, Sunday’s victory demonstrated its ability to respond under pressure. Dennis continued establishing himself as a leader, Wilson made an immediate impact, and the Skyhawks received valuable contributions throughout their lineup.

There are areas to clean up, particularly late-game free throws, but College Park has plenty to build on after two victories.

Two games down, two victories in the books, and College Park is giving its fans plenty to be excited about.

Up Next: The Skyhawks (2-0) conclude their three-game homestand Tuesday, Nov. 10, against the Long Island Nets at Gateway Center Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.