FAYETTEVILLE — When the 9 Dime Fall League started in September, the Richmond Raider basketball team had one goal in mind, and that was to win the inaugural championship.
The No. 1 Raiders and head coach Maurice McLaurin did just that on Saturday, using three double-digit scoring performances to defeat No. 2 Westside 68-52.
With the win, Richmond finished the season with an 8-1 overall record and was named both the regular season and tournament champions. The victory over Westside snapped the second-seeded team’s seven-game winning streak.
The last four months have been difficult for the Richmond program, losing two young individuals close to the team. Junior player Jalen David passed away in August, while Aaliyah Jones, the sibling of senior point guard Patrick McLaughlin, passed away in July.
“This was a huge win,” senior guard Dylan Lewis said. “We had two people who left us this summer, so this whole season was for Jalen and Aaliyah. That’s the only thing that’s been on my mind. We’re playing for them.”
Senior forward Nygie Stroman, who ended the day with a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds, echoed Lewis’ sentiments.
“We already knew (Jalen) was watching over us, so we’re just trying to make him proud every game we get a chance to,” Stroman said. “This championship is for him.”
The Raiders and Westside (made up of players from Westover High School) hadn’t met since the opening week of the regular season, a game that also saw Richmond win by double digits.
Stroman proved big in the final frame, netting nine of his points in the fourth quarter. Lewis continued playing at a high level, posting 16 points and six rebounds, while freshman Paul McNeil dropped 16 points and seven boards after getting the start.
Richmond used a strong 13-2 run to open the first four minutes of the game. Sophomore Dakota Chavis scored four points in that stretch and finished the game with six points.
Westside responded with an 11-1 run to close the quarter, pulling within one point, 14-13.
With 2:40 left on the clock in the half, Stroman threw down a two-handed jam on a dish from McNeil, which gave Richmond a five-point lead. That dunk sparked a 12-5 spurt by the Raiders to close the half, watching Stroman, McNeil and junior Luke Williams trade baskets.
At the break, Richmond held a 10-point lead 36-26, and never looked back.
Freshman Jamarion Wall would lead the Raiders with six points in the third quarter, hitting a pair of three-pointers coming off the bench. Junior Deshon Watson added a triple in the frame and Lewis and McNeil scored five and four more points, respectively.
Up by 15 points following Wall’s three-ball at the end of the third, Richmond’s largest lead came just over a minute into the fourth. Stroman completed an old-fashioned three-point play and then kissed the glass underneath to put the Raiders up 20 points, 59-39, with 6:48 to play.
Down the stretch, free throws from Stroman, McLaughlin, McNeil and a Lewis drive sealed the championship win. With 53 seconds left, McLaurin subbed out his starters to a loud cheer from the Richmond fans.
“We started out pretty strong, but there were some lapses when we got the lead,” McLaurin said. “The guys picked it back up and ran them out of the gym.
“This is what this season is all about, Jalen and his family,” he added of the significance of bringing home the hardware. “The guys are putting in the hard work every day and recognize that (Jalen) would be a part of our team. This is all for him.”
VIDEO: Nygie Stroman interview.
VIDEO: Maurice McLaurin interview.
