ROCKINGHAM — For the second time in as many tries this season, the Richmond junior varsity girls’ basketball team earned a running-clock victory.
Playing for the first time in nearly two weeks, the JV Lady Raiders rolled past Fairmont High School 64-20.
Showing no rust after the span between games, sophomore point guard Olivia Brown led all scorers with 25 points, which tied her season-high.
Two other players reached double-figures — freshmen Kaniah Little (14 points) and Kenya Bailey (10 points).
All seven players for Richmond scored. Rounding out the scoresheet were Iyana Little (9 points), and Aaliyah McRae, Audicy Rush and Ny’Aziah Wilson each had two points.
“The girls really played great tonight,” head coach Tonia Breeden said. “We were a little nervous because we hadn’t played in almost two weeks, but the girls picked up right where they left off.
“I’m extremely proud of the fact that everyone on the team was able to score tonight.”
The JV Lady Raiders opened the game on a 22-0 run during the first quarter. Bailey started the scoring with a pair of buckets following inbound passes under the hoop.
Brown drained a three-pointer from the top of the arc to make it 7-0. Fairmont called a timeout with 5:49 left.
Out of the break, Brown scored two transition baskets and Bailey made another shot off an inbound pass. Kaniah Little got into the scoring with two free throws to make it 15-0.
Brown had five of the final seven points in the quarter, netting two close-range field goals and a free throw. Bailey chipped in her final two of eight points in the first half.
Richmond opened its lead to 42-8 at halftime. A 6-2 run by the JV Lady Golden Tornadoes to begin the second got them on the board. Kaniah Little had the two points for Richmond.
A Brown free throw started an 18-2 stretch for the JV Lady Raiders. Scoring a dozen more points before halftime, Brown did all of her scoring in the first half.
Kaniah Little made two more buckets to give her eight points in the half and Rush made a free throw.
Richmond outscored Fairmont 18-0 in the third quarter and started the running clock at the 7:01 mark. Helping get the team there were five quick points from Iyana Little (three-pointer, field goal).
Kaniah Little made a steal near midcourt and laid in the transition bucket to put Richmond ahead 49-8 to initiate the running clock.
Iyana Little, who scored all nine of her points in the third, added two more field goals. Kaniah Little finished off her 14 points with a pair of shots.
A basket from Bailey gave her double-digits and Rush sank a free throw chance in the closing minute of the third. The JV Lady Raiders entered the fourth leading by 52 points, their largest lead of the game.
Fairmont outdid Richmond 12-4 in the final eight minutes. Netting a bucket each were McRae and Wilson, both shots from the paint, which ended the JV Lady Raiders’ offensive output.
The JV Lady Raiders (2-0) will play at non-conference Panther Creek High School on Friday at 5 p.m.
