PEMBROKE — Playing opposite of the varsity team, the Richmond Senior High School boys’ junior varsity and freshman basketball teams came away with a sweep on the road at Purnell Swett High School on Thursday.
The JV Raiders and head coach Kenta Hutchinson improved to 4-0 on the season, while the freshman team and head coach Taivon Jones opened their season with a victory.
JV Raiders stay perfect in SAC opener
In the JV Raiders’ game, sophomore guard Xavier Collazo netted a season-high 20 points to help Richmond ease past the Rams 61-33. It was the third time in four games this season the Raiders scored at least 60 points.
Also finishing in double figures for the Raiders were freshman Dakota Chavis (12 points) and sophomore Micah Jackson (11 points). Sophomores Travion Dumas and Luke Williams chipped in seven and five points, respectively.
Hutchinson said it was “the best we’ve played all year” and noted he was proud of his team’s defensive efforts.
Richmond got out to a fast 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter, using three triples from Collazo and two more from Chavis. Sophomore Donovan Gadson hit a pair of free throws and Mehki Harrington added another.
Collazo stayed hot from behind the arc in the second quarter, splashing home two more triples. Jackson came in off the bench and added two buckets. At the intermission, the Raiders held a 33-12 lead after keeping the Rams off the board in the second.
Leading the Raiders with seven second-half points was Jackson, who had six of them in the final quarter. Dumas dropped six points in the final two periods, while Collazo ended his scoring in the third quarter with a triple and a bucket.
The JV Raiders will return to action on Tuesday on the road at Cheraw High School. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
Freshman Raiders impress in season opener
The ninth grade basketball team saw its first taste of action this winter, also defeating Purnell Swett 53-42. Zay Hubbard scored a game-high 15 points for the Raiders, followed by 11 more points from Zion Baldwin.
Hubbard hit four three-pointers in the game, and connected for seven of his points in the third quarter. Baldwin was hot to start, draining seven points in the first quarter before entering the half with nine points.
Richmond’s defense held the Rams to just 14 first-half points, seven in each quarter. At the break, the Raiders led 22-14.
Both teams would shoot the ball better in the second half, as Richmond narrowly outscored the Rams 31-28 in the final two periods. Adding to Hubbard’s seven points in the third with two points each were Ashton Phifer, Tez Anderson and Baldwin.
Anderson, who finished with nine points, chipped in two field goals and a free throw in the fourth quarter. Jadden Jenks netted five of his six points during the closing minutes.
Jones and the freshman Raiders (1-0, 1-0 SAC) will play next Friday at Pinecrest High School.
