Portland Trail Blazers guards Shaedon Sharpe and Dalano Banton made a triumphant return to Canada Thursday night.
Not only did the Blazers win 112-103 at Scotiabank Arena, but the pair from Canada combined for 59 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Sharpe, born in London, Ontario, 119 miles Southwest of Toronto, tied his career high with 36 points and added six rebounds and five assists.
Banton, born in Toronto and drafted by the Raptors in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft, recovered from a poor first half to contribute 23 points with two assists.
Both filled vital roles with starting point guard Anfernee Simons (right forearm soreness) missing a second consecutive game. Banton started at the point and ran the team, while Sharpe also saw lead guard duties and helped take on more of the scoring burden.
Dalano Banton #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers goes to the basket against A.J. Lawson #0 of the Toronto Raptors during the second half at the Scotiabank Arena on April 3, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)Getty Images
Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said Sharpe, 21, did a great job handling Toronto’s pressure defense while committing just one of the Blazers’ 25 turnovers.
“I didn’t think Shaedon got sped up at all, which is an incredible compliment for a young player,” Billups told reporters. “And the way that they’re pressuring, they can make it difficult for you.”
Billups said Sharpe has excelled lately at picking his spots while remaining aggressive. During Tuesday night’s 127-112 win at Atlanta, Sharpe scored 33 points on 11-of-25 shooting. Still, Billups appreciated the guard’s attacking style that produced 10 free throws, of which he made eight. On Thursday, Sharpe shot 14 of 23 from the field.
“You’re not going to do that every night, but it’s just about how you play, the intention that you play with,” Billups said. “He did some playmaking, as well, some tough rebounding, as well. I was very impressed with his game.”
Shaedon Sharpe #17 of the Portland Trail Blazers passes the ball off against Ja’Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half at the Scotiabank Arena on April 3, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)Getty Images
So was Banton.
“Shae’s amazing,” Banton told reporters. “I tell you guys all the time, he has the potential to be one of the best in this league. I really do believe that. He’s a great young talent, one of the best shot-creators in the league for himself at a very young age. He sees the games. He’s getting very poised. It’s slowing down for him. And he continues to amaze us every day.”
Sharpe, a first-round pick in 2022, played twice before at Toronto. Last season, he scored 14 points during a 99-91 win over the Raptors on Oct. 23, 2023. As a rookie, Sharpe had just three points in under 14 minutes during a 117-105 loss at the Raptors on Jan. 8, 2023.
Banton saw his first action as a visiting player at the Raptors.
He traveled to Toronto while playing two seasons in Boston, but did not play. On Thursday, Banton went 0 of 6 from three-point range in the first half, scoring just five points. In the second half, he shot six of nine from the field for 18 points, finishing on 8 of 19.
When introduced, Banton received a loud ovation from the Raptors fans.
“It was amazing,” Banton told reporters. “I love that all my family got to watch me play. Had a slow start there, but the guys just continued to trust in me, finding me the ball, finding me in the right spots to continue to take shots, miss or make. So, shout out to the guys just keeping trust in me and I was able to have a better second half.”
The Blazers (34-43) play at 5 p.m. Friday at the Chicago Bulls (34-42).
— Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)
