ROCKINGHAM — One of the few achievements that had eluded the Lady Raider basketball team the past few seasons had been a Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament championship.
That changed Friday when the No. 1 Lady Raiders completed the three-game season sweep of No. 2 Scotland High School, taking the top spot in the tournament in 60-49 fashion.
Playing in its second tournament championship game the last three seasons, Richmond won its 15th straight game and also secured the first tournament title in head coach Teddy Moseley’s six seasons.
The Lady Raiders last played in the 2021-22 SAC championship, but were upset as the top seed by Pinecrest High School.
Moseley predicted Friday’s title bout would be a slugfest, which proved true early. The Lady Fighting Scots held a three-point halftime lead, but an 18-8 run in the third quarter by Richmond stymied Scotland’s chances.
Six players scored in the win, led by junior point guard Jamyia Lindsey’s 27 points, which was tied for the game-high with Scotland’s Morgan Thompson. Lindsey had six steals, four rebounds and four assists.
Sophomore guard Jasiah Gilchrist also scored double-figures, finishing with 15 points and three assists. Freshman forward Madisen Jackson grabbed a team-high seven boards to go along with her seven points.
Also scoring for the Lady Raiders were junior Rena Drake (five points), and seniors Ryelan Lyerly (four points) and C’Niya Hinson (two points).
A couple of early lead changes through the opening three minutes put Scotland ahead 12-7.
Lindsey had four of those points on a jumper and a drive. Jackson scored a putback and Lyerly netted a free throw.
The five-point deficit was quickly erased by the Lady Raiders, who surged ahead thanks to a 12-2 run that spanned the final 3:34 of the quarter.
Lyerly got it started with another free throw, which was followed by a Gilchrist baseline drive, a Lindsey free throw and a jumper from Jackson in the middle of the paint.
After a basket from Scotland, Drake, Lindsey and Jackson all scored a field goal to close the final minute to take a 19-14 lead.
Lindsey scored two buckets early in the second stanza and a close-range basket from Hinson put Richmond up 25-19, its largest lead of the first half.
But the Lady Scots battled back with an 11-2 scoring stretch to enter halftime ahead 30-27. Thompson, who had 22 points in the first half, sank a pair of deep triples from the same spot in the closing 36 seconds to shift the lead.
Out of the locker room, however, it was all Richmond. The Lady Raiders opened the second half on an 11-0 run.
Lindsey started it with a jumper, which was followed by a Gilchrist three-pointer from the right corner and a shot by Lyerly under the hoop. A Gilchrist drive on the next possession made it 36-30 and Scotland called a timeout.
Capping the run, Lindsey knocked in a pair of free throws. A three-pointer by Scotland stopped the bleeding, but Richmond used five points from Lindsey and a transition bucket by Gilchrist to open it back up to 45-33.
Scotland cut its deficit to seven points, 45-38, with a five-point run to end the final 2:35 of the third.
Shutting the door on the tournament championship, the Lady Raiders outscored Scotland 15-11 in the final quarter. Gilchrist led the team with six points on two field goals and two free throws.
Lindsey added five points on a pair of baskets and a shot from the line, Drake scored her final three points on an and-one opportunity and Jackson netted a free throw.
Following the final buzzer, principal Jim Butler recognized the Lady Raiders’ perfect run through conference play. Athletic director Mike Way awarded the team its championship plaque.
Alicia McClain had nine points in the loss and Madyson Hammond scored six points for Scotland.
Richmond (22-4) will await the NCHSAA’s official release of the 4A state playoff bracket Saturday. The Richmond Observer will publish a preview article over the weekend.
The first round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 27.
Sports editor’s note: Unofficial statistics provided by assistant coach Taneika Reader. A photo gallery of Friday’s SAC tournament championship win will be posted soon.
