GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Interstat) — In a frenetic, back-and-forth G League shootout that featured 20 lead changes and was decided in the final seconds, the Grand Rapids Gold outlasted the College Park Skyhawks 132-128 on Thursday night at Van Andel Arena.

The game, a showcase of offensive firepower and late-game execution, saw the Gold overcome a spectacular 27-point, 11-rebound performance from College Park’s Basheer Jihad, a native of nearby Farmington, Michigan. Grand Rapids improved to 14-8, while College Park fell to 6-15.

The contest’s defining sequence unfolded in the final four seconds. With the score tied at 130, Grand Rapids’ Coleman Hawkins lost the ball on a drive, and College Park’s Jihad pounced on the steal. He was fouled by Kessler Edwards with 0.4 seconds remaining and calmly sank both free throws to seemingly put the Skyhawks ahead.

On the ensuing inbound play, however, Jihad fouled Edwards immediately. Edwards, an 89% free-throw shooter on the season, stepped to the line and drained both attempts, putting the Gold back up by two. After a College Park timeout, a desperation three-point attempt by Javan Johnson at the buzzer missed, sealing the Gold victory.

The frantic finish capped a game where neither team led by more than nine points. Grand Rapids built a 69-63 halftime lead behind efficient shooting, connecting on 49 of 96 attempts from the floor. The Skyhawks, led by Jihad and a 26-point, 10-assist effort from point guard RayJ Dennis, roared back with a 39-point third quarter to take a slim lead into the final period.

Hawkins was the engine for Grand Rapids, posting a triple-double with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, orchestrating the offense and making key plays down the stretch. He was supported by a balanced scoring attack featuring Kessler Edwards with 26 points, Curtis Jones with 25 and Javante McCoy with 16.

Despite the loss, College Park’s offense was potent, shooting 46.2% from the field and a blistering 46.5% from three-point range. Javan Johnson added 16 points for the Skyhawks, and Kobe Johnson contributed 14 points and nine rebounds.

The game was a statistical oddity, with both teams finishing with exactly 44 total rebounds. Grand Rapids won the turnover battle, forcing 19 Skyhawks miscues while committing 14, and held a slight edge in assists, 14-10. The Gold’s offensive efficiency proved decisive, scoring 132 points on just 104 possessions for an offensive rating of 126.6, compared to College Park’s 118.3.

The two teams will meet again in a rematch at Van Andel Arena on Saturday.