MISSISSAUGA, Ontario (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of fortune, the last-place Wisconsin Herd withstood a furious second-half rally by the G League’s top team to edge Raptors 905 106-104 on Thursday night at Hershey Centre.

The Herd, who entered the game with a league-worst 13-35 record, built a commanding 33-16 lead after the first quarter and led by as many as 19 points in the first half. Their early dominance was fueled by a blistering start from Johnny Davis and Mark Sears, who combined for a series of early baskets and assists to silence the home crowd.

However, the Raptors 905, now 36-14, showcased why they own the league’s best record with a spectacular third-quarter explosion. After being held to just 43 points in the first half, the Raptors erupted for 41 points in the third quarter, completely erasing the large deficit. The run was powered by Tyson Degenhart’s outside shooting and a relentless transition attack led by A.J. Hoggard and Tyreke Key, turning a double-digit hole into a back-and-forth contest entering the final period.

The fourth quarter featured six lead changes as neither team led by more than four points. With the game tied at 104 and 10 seconds remaining, Wisconsin’s Stephen Thompson sank a 28-foot 3-pointer to put the Herd ahead for good. Raptors 905 had two final chances to tie or win in the closing seconds, but Johnny Davis blocked a driving layup by Jarkel Joiner with six seconds left, and after a free throw, Davis swatted away a last-ditch attempt by Alijah Martin at the rim as time expired.

The most important sequence of the game was Wisconsin’s defensive stand in the final six seconds. Protecting a two-point lead, Davis’s initial block on Joiner preserved the advantage. After a free throw made it a three-point game, the Raptors had one final opportunity, but Davis again rose to the occasion, meeting Martin at the basket for a game-sealing block as the buzzer sounded, capping a remarkable victory for the underdog Herd.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Wisconsin and handed Raptors 905 just their second home loss since late January. The two teams will meet again at Hershey Centre on Saturday.