To say Saturday was an emotional day for the Magic would be an understatement.
In the early morning, Orlando learned about the death of Eddie Cole, the team’s long-time chaplain and former mayor of Eatonville.
By the end of the night, Jamahl Mosley‘s squad was celebrating a 128-127 overtime victory at the Jazz after Desmond Bane converted his second game-winner of the season for his new team that acquired him in a blockbuster trade over the summer.
“We talked about it at shootaround; there’s a shock at first,” Mosley said before the game about Cole, who died Saturday morning at his home after serving as the team chaplain for more than a decade. “We talked about the light that he brought every single day. … Just being able to bring the game of basketball into perspective, that’s always the case when something like this happens.
“You put things always into perspective about how short life can be, how important the people around you are, and that’s what these guys talked about going into shootaround [Saturday] morning,” Mosley added.
With Cole in the back of their minds, the Magic took the court inside Delta Center and found a way to escape Utah late when an additional five minutes were needed to determine a winner.
The Jazz (10-17) trailed by as many as 19 points in the second half but stormed back to force overtime when they outscored Orlando 36-21 in the fourth quarter. In that frame, the Magic missed all five of their 3-point attempts and let Utah score five points off four turnovers.
Orlando then trailed by 1 point with 4.1 seconds left in the extra period before Bane drove to the basket to lift his team past Utah. Bane’s lone bucket of overtime was his most important of the night.
“[Assistant coach] Joe [Prunty] drew up a good play … allowing me to get downhill [and] touch the paint,” Bane said. “He was telling me to put pressure on the rim. I saw a crease and made it happen.”
While Bane made it happen in overtime, Orlando’s pair of rookies — Jase Richardson and Noah Penda — helped keep the Magic afloat throughout the night.
The French forward notched his first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds alongside 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Richardson added 10 points and 3 assists.
“It comes naturally,” Penda said when asked about “doing the dirty work” in the paint. “I don’t take really any pride. It’s just something I do, and it’s good to have recognition for that.”
That recognition came from his teammates.
“There’s no doubt we have the utmost confidence in him,” Bane said about Penda, whom the Magic traded up for to select in the second round of June’s draft. “He made a bunch of plays. He’s a pro’s pro. He’s been a pro since he was like … 16 years old.
“I wasn’t even driving a car yet and he [was] already a pro basketball player,” Bane added with a laugh. “So ain’t no question about whether he’s ready for these moments.”
Also ready to play was Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who nearly notched a second straight triple-double when he recorded 23 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists in 42 minutes (the most he’s played since he returned from a left groin strain six games ago).
Still, he missed 5 of his 15 free throws on a night Orlando missed 10 overall.
“Paolo did a good job of distributing early,” Mosley said. “Flirting with that triple-double … He’s not going to be happy at the free throw line, but as a team we’ve got to continue to be better there. His ability to be aggressive, get downhill [and] attack the basket, he’s creating mismatches all over the floor.”
The Magic (16-12) hope to ride the wave of momentum that comes after a game-winner when they travel to Golden State for Monday’s game. Saturday’s contest was Orlando’s second in a row without Jalen Suggs (left hip bruise) and Tristan da Silva (right shoulder bruise).
The team already knows it won’t have Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain), who remained home with his older brother Moe Wagner (left knee injury recovery) so the pair could focus on their respective rehabs.
The Warriors (14-15) also won in dramatic fashion Saturday night at Phoenix, 119-116, behind Stephen Curry’s 28 points. Orlando previously beat Golden State by 8 at Kia Center on Nov. 18.
The Magic won’t forget their late team chaplain or the way they won Saturday night at Utah.
“These types of games can be very emotional,” Bane said. “It was a very emotional game but it’s good to come out on top.
“It’s something that we can definitely rally around and build off.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up next …
Magic at Warriors
When: 10 p.m., Monday, Chase Center
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida