Rawle Alkins entered Saturday's second round of the NBA Summer League tournament averaging just 6.5 points in 16 minutes per game. That was entering Saturday.
The Raptors rookie and former Wildcat scored 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting, including five 3s, to help Toronto advance to the quarterfinals with an 87-84 overtime win over the Charlotte Hornets in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The highlight moment came with 32 seconds left in overtime, when Alkins shook defensive pressure and broke a tie with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
Alkins added two assists and a steal in his first double-double in an NBA uniform. You can watch highlights from his big day below.
.@Iam_RawleAlkins posts 25 PTS & 11 REB in the @Raptors overtime win in Las Vegas! 💪 #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/aCR5SOdAJZ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 15, 2018
"I didn't want to go home," Alkins told reporters after the win. "This type of game is go hard or go home, one-game elimination. ..."
Alkins took an audible exhale and apologized.
"My breath can say it all. Hard work."
Toronto started summer league with three straight losses in Las Vegas and entered tournament play 0-3 as the No. 29 seed.
Alkins was shooting 31 percent from the field across three losses before erupting Saturday to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding.
The second-round performance brings Alkins' summer averages to 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and two assists per game. He's shooting 42 percent from the floor and 47 percent from beyond the arc. Alkins has been stingy on the defensive side as well, adding four steals across five games.
Toronto will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the quarterfinals Sunday at 3 p.m. at Thomas and Mack Center.
