SOUTHERN PINES — Using a running clock for the second time in as many games, the Richmond Senior High School girls’ basketball team eased its way to a victory Tuesday.
Winning their ninth consecutive game, the Lady Raiders completed the season sweep of Pinecrest High School by a final score of 74-35.
A free throw with eight seconds remaining in the third quarter put Richmond up 67-27 to initiate the burning clock.
Tying her season-high, junior point guard Jamyia Lindsey outscored the entire Lady Patriots team with 36 points. She added six steals, four assists and three rebounds.
Returning to her old stomping grounds, sophomore guard Jasiah Gilchrist chipped in 21 points, eight steals, four assists and three rebounds.
Senior MaKailah Jackson muscled her way to a team-high 11 rebounds and netted eight points, all in the third quarter.
Helping Richmond coast to a win were senior Ryelan Lyerly (four points, three boards), freshman Madisen Jackson (three points, three assists) and junior Rena Drake (two points, two assists).
A 22-7 run in the first quarter saw Lindsey double Pinecrest’s scoring by herself, while Gilchrist tied the Lady Patriots.
Netting four field goals, a triple and three free throws, Lindsey scored 14 points in the opening eight minutes. Her mid-range jumper was locked in early.
Gilchrist scored her first seven points with two buckets bookending a triple from the left corner. Madisen Jackson had a free throw for her first point.
Five players found the hoop in the second quarter for Richmond, which quickly opened its lead to over 20 then 30 points before halftime.
Lyerly’s two points in the first half came on a putback under the basket, followed by a similar shot from Madisen Jackson and a floater by Lindsey.
That capped a 10-0 run by Richmond spanning the end of the first and the start of the second quarter. Snapping a 4:26 scoring drought, the Lady Patriots made a free throw which made it 28-8 with 5:12 to go in the half.
The Lady Raiders took advantage of several defensive rebounds and quickly turned them into transition points. A Lindsey layup started a 16-2 stretch to go up by 34 points.
Drake scored her two points, as Lindsey and Gilchrist each had six points to carry a 44-10 lead into the break.
Opening the lead to 50-12 early in the third, Lyerly sank a pair of free throws and MaKailah Jackson scored the first of her four field goals in the stanza.
A bucket by Gilchrist made it a 38-point lead, but Pinecrest (5-12, 3-4 SAC) answered with a 7-2 run to keep the running clock from starting. MaKailah Jackson had the two points for Richmond.
But two Lindsey free throws, who went 7-for-7 from the line, began a 16-8 spurt to close the third. She, along with Gilchrist and MaKailah Jackson contributed all the points.
Lindsey made two final free throws with the clock stopped at 8.0 seconds, officially putting Richmond up by 40 points.
The fourth quarter resulted in six more points for the Lady Raiders, who spent much of the time running out the game. Gilchrist had four points and Lindsey knocked down a jumper.
Pinecrest was led in scoring by Zanodiya McNair, who had 16 points. Aniya McGregor chipped in seven points.
The Lady Raiders (16-4, 8-0 SAC) return to their home court Friday to host Hoke County High School (3-14, 1-6 SAC). Action will start at 6 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Unofficial statistics provided by assistant coach Taneika Reader.
