(Interstat) — In a high-octane G League shootout that defied pregame projections, the Westchester Knicks outlasted the Grand Rapids Gold 124-119 on Thursday night at Westchester County Center. The victory, powered by a balanced offensive attack and clutch late free throws, snapped a two-game skid for the Knicks and improved their season record to 8-27. The Gold fell to 17-18 despite monumental performances from their starting backcourt.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the final eight seconds with Westchester clinging to a 120-119 lead. After a Grand Rapids timeout, the Gold inbounded but could not create a clean look, as Ben Coupet’s desperation 27-foot 3-point attempt missed. Westchester’s Paul Zilinskas secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled. The rookie shooting guard, who finished with 14 points, calmly sank both free throws with no time remaining to extend the lead to three. A subsequent foul on the inbound sent Zilinskas back to the line, where he iced the game with two more makes for the final margin.

This dramatic finish capped a contest characterized by runs and resilient shooting. Westchester set a torrid early pace, erupting for 41 first-quarter points behind Pacome Dadiet’s 11 points in the period to build a lead it would never fully relinquish. Grand Rapids, led by the explosive duo of Dane Goodwin and Curtis Jones, consistently chipped away. Goodwin, the game’s top star, delivered a dominant line of 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Jones poured in 37 points and dished seven assists.

The Gold’s offense was efficient, scoring 119 points on 46-of-97 shooting, but was ultimately undone by Westchester’s superior work at the free-throw line and on the offensive glass. The Knicks attempted only 14 free throws but made 13 of them, including the four decisive ones at the end. They also parlayed 16 offensive rebounds into 20 second-chance points, part of a 49-44 overall rebounding advantage. Westchester’s offensive rating of 120.8 on 103 possessions outpaced Grand Rapids’ 109.4 on 109 trips.

Westchester showcased its depth with six players scoring in double figures. Dadiet led the Knicks with 23 points, while Kevin McCullar and Bryson Warren each added 20. Isaiah Roby contributed 16 points, and Trey Jemison controlled the paint with eight points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Moses Brown posted a double-double for Grand Rapids with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

The result contradicted the pregame analytics from Interstat, whose game simulator had projected a 122-100 Grand Rapids victory. However, the system’s ELO rating gave Westchester a 55.3 percent probability to win, a forecast validated by the Knicks’ ability to execute in the final moments. Grand Rapids will look to rebound on Saturday when it hosts Osceola, while Westchester prepares to face Cleveland on the same night.