Raptors rookie Ja’Kobe Walter hits 3 with 0.5 seconds left for 114-113 win over slumping Magic

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Ja’Kobe Walter swished a contested 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining and the Toronto Raptors edged the Orlando Magic 114-113 on Tuesday night after blowing a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Paolo Banchero rallied the Magic, scoring 22 of his 41 points in the final period on 8-for-8 shooting. He made two free throws with 5 seconds left to give Orlando a 113-111 lead.

Banchero, who finished with eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals, also scored 41 in a loss to Golden State last Thursday.

RJ Barrett had 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Toronto. Scottie Barnes added 17 points and 13 boards. Jakob Poeltl also scored 17, and Immanuel Quickley had 15.

Franz Wagner finished with 28 points for Orlando.

Raptors starting guard Gradey Dick sat out after getting shaken up in a collision Sunday night. Dick, who averages 14.4 points per game, is expected to miss at least two weeks with a hyperextended and bruised right knee.

Raptors: Walter, a rookie from Baylor, had 17 points as the Raptors (20-42) improved to 7-23 on the road. They won 104-102 at Orlando on Sunday night

Magic: Have dropped four straight and five of six — all at home. Orlando, clinging to eighth place in the Eastern Conference, fell 1 1/2 games behind Miami for the Southeast Division lead.

Following a timeout by the Raptors, they inbounded in the frontcourt to Walter, who took two dribbles toward the middle of the floor and created just enough space to nail his winning 3 over Tristan da Silva.

Toronto overcame 20 turnovers by outrebounding Orlando 48-35 and making eight more free throws.

Raptors: Host the Utah Jazz on Friday night in the opener of a four-game homestand.

Magic: Host the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night before embarking on a five-game trip.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) goes up to shoot as Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) goes up to shoot between Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) and forward Paolo Banchero, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) goes up to shoot as Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (23) drives to the basket as Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) and guard Cory Joseph (10) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Orlando Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) goes up to shoot between Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (14), guard Immanuel Quickley (5), guard RJ Barrett (9) and forward Scottie Barnes, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., right, goes up to shoot as Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) tries to shoot as Toronto Raptors center Orlando Robinson, left, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (14) celebrates his game-winning shot with guard A.J. Lawson (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter, second from right, is congratulated by center Jakob Poeltl, left, guard Immanuel Quickley, second from left, and guard RJ Barrett, right, after his game-winning shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is meeting with oil executives at the White House on Friday in hopes of securing $100 billion in investments to revive Venezuela’s ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum — a plan that rides on their comfort in making commitments in a country plagued by instability, inflation and uncertainty.

Since the U.S. military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the U.S., seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, saying the U.S. is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan oil and will be controlling sales worldwide indefinitely.

On Friday, U.S. forces seized their fifth tanker over the past month that has been linked to Venezuelan oil. The action reflected the determination of the U.S. to fully control the exporting, refining and production of Venezuelan petroleum, a sign of the Trump administration's plans for ongoing involvement in the sector as it seeks commitments from private companies.

It's all part of a broader push by Trump to keep gasoline prices low. At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.

The meeting, set for 2:30 p.m. EST, will be open to the news media, according to an update to the president's daily schedule. “At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post.

Trump is set to meet with executives from 17 oil companies, according to the White House. Among the companies attending are Chevron, which still operates in Venezuela, and ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which both had oil projects in the country that were lost as part of a 2007 nationalization of private businesses under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez.

The president is meeting with a wide swath of domestic and international companies with interests ranging from construction to the commodity markets. Other companies slated to be at the meeting include Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Singapore-based Trafigura, Italy-based Eni and Spain-based Repsol.

Large U.S. oil companies have so far largely refrained from affirming investments in Venezuela as contracts and guarantees need to be in place. Trump has suggested on social media that America would help to backstop any investments.

Venezuela’s oil production has slumped below one million barrels a day. Part of Trump's challenge to turn that around will be to convince oil companies that his administration has a stable relationship with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez, as well as protections for companies entering the market.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are slated to attend the oil executives meeting, according to the White House.

Meanwhile, the United States and Venezuelan governments said Friday they were exploring the possibility of r estoring diplomatic relations between the two countries, and that a delegation from the Trump administration arrived to the South American nation on Friday.

The small team of U.S. diplomats and diplomatic security officials traveled to Venezuela to make a preliminary assessment about the potential re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, the State Department said in a statement.

Trump also announced on Friday he’d meet with President Gustavo Petro in early February, but called on the Colombian leader to make quick progress on stemming flow of cocaine into the U.S.

Trump, following the ouster of Maduro, had made vague threats to take similar action against Petro. Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart after a friendly phone call in which he invited Petro to visit the White House.

President Donald Trump waves as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)