ROCKINGHAM — As weather forecasters are calling for potential and varying snow amounts to fall over the Sandhills region in the coming days, the Richmond Senior High School boys’ basketball team is seeing its schedule impacted.
After rallying Tuesday to defeat No. 6 Purnell Swett High School in the first round of the Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament, the No. 3 Raiders were hoping to use Wednesday as a recovery day.
But now head coach Donald Pettigrew and the Raiders (18-7) will hit the road a day sooner than anticipated and play the No. 2 Lumberton High School Pirates.
Richmond athletic director Rob Ransom sent a text message to ROSports around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday morning confirming the change in the game’s date.
In two games this season, the Pirates (21-4) have held the Raiders’ number, beating them both times by a combined 59 points. Pettigrew said that “beating a team three times in the same year can be tough,” and added Richmond will “come ready to play.”
A season ago, Richmond made it to the SAC tournament title game, but did not play Lumberton along the way.
Pettigrew added that “containing” senior point guard Jordan McNeill and junior shooting guard Charlie Miller will be a big key if the Raiders want to have success against the Pirates.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. in Lumberton. If the Raiders were to win, the SAC tournament championship game will be played Friday, per Ransom.
Note: The NCHSAA also announced Wednesday morning that it will postpone its official playoff seeding day until Sunday to allow potentially impacted schools and conferences to complete tournament games.
