KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Richmond Senior High School head boys’ basketball coach Donald Pettigrew posted a picture to social media Sunday with part of the caption reading “10 games in four days.”
The photo was of eight of his rising players, draped in hardware, at the Powerade State Games tournament. It was a busy weekend for the Raider basketball team, as it got its summer season started with a silver-place finish in the PSG.
“I was really pleased and you normally don’t hear me say that this early on,” Pettigrew laughed. “Our guys balled out and played 10 games in four days with just eight players. That showed how hard our kids have been working and how bad they wanted to win.”
Richmond was part of a nine-team bracket in this summer’s Powerade State Games, and the Raiders went 2-0 in pool play before winning two more games in the tournament and eventually fell to Millbrook High School’s “Blue” team 80-45 in the championship.
With several regular starters not participating due to football workouts, including varsity players Caleb and Kellan Hood, Pettigrew said his smaller squad did more than enough to hold its own against some tough competition to their second-place finish.
Other rising players not in attendance were juniors Jakolbe Baldwin, Dalton Stroman and CJ Tillman.
“It was tough not having all the guys, but the ones who we had put out such unbelievable effort,” Pettigrew explained. “Our veterans stepped up and we had some younger guys do some big things for us. I was proud of how much energy we played with and how we got after the ball defensively.”
Richmond opened the three-day tournament, which was played at A.L. Brown High School and Kannapolis Middle School, with a 55-54 win over Millbrook’s “Silver” team on Friday. Saturday morning saw Garner High School’s “Blue” team forfeit, but Pettigrew said his team scrimmaged another school.
Sunday started the nine-team single-elimination tournament, and the Raiders bounced North Buncombe High School 43-28 in the opening round. In the second round, Richmond managed to advance to the title game with a 66-47 win over Weddington High School.
Pettigrew noted that rising junior Patrick McLaughlin was the team’s “best and most consistent point guard” over the weekend. He credited McLaughlin for his ability to “control games.” Also getting a nod from his head coach was rising senior Quamir Sivels, who “scored over 20 points in multiple games.”
The other six players who played in the silver medal game were rising senior Jarvis Tillman, rising juniors Dylan Lewis and Nygie Stroman, rising sophomores Jalen David and DeShon Watson, as well as incoming freshman Dakota Chavis.
Richmond’s head coach added that “a lot of the younger guys jumped right in and got comfortable”, making the Raiders look in mid-season form. Pettigrew also called the silver medal win a “total team effort.”
Prior to heading to the Powerade State Games, the Raiders played in a three-game jamboree at Chesterfield High School in South Carolina on Thursday. Although Richmond dropped two of its three contests, Pettigrew said it was all about helping the team get better.
The jam-packed weekend was just the start for the Raiders, as they’ll return to the court three more times in the next two weeks. Up first is the second Raider Classic Jamboree, hosted by Richmond, which will feature 14 teams, according to Pettigrew.
The two-day event will be held Tuesday and Wednesday at RSHS and Richmond County Ninth Grade Academy. Admission for the general public is $5, and concessions will be available.
The Raiders will then compete in the Fred Lynch Invitational (June 23-25) in Wilmington, followed by the East Coast Invitational in Jacksonville (June 27-30) for a four-day tournament along the coast.
“Playing over the summer is something I got from Coach (David) May,” Pettigrew explained of the heavy summer schedule. “The whole point is to try to get guys used to how we play at the varsity level and get them ready for the season.
“It also gives them a good chance to play against some good competition,” he closed. “I want our guys to get out there and get a chance to be noticed by college coaches. Plus it helps the team build trust and chemistry.”
