LAURINBURG — The result of Friday’s game wasn’t the way the Richmond junior varsity boys’ basketball team wanted to end its season, but it’s not taking away from the team’s success this winter head coach Josh Calhoun said.
On the road at rival Scotland High School, the JV Raiders lost just their second game of the season, 56-50.
The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak that nearly ran the course of Sandhills Athletic Conference play.
Not able to overcome a five-point halftime deficit, the JV Raiders managed to take two one-possession leads in the second half.
But late fouls and a few missed opportunities around the rim resulted in the loss.
A slow first quarter saw Richmond trail by 11 points twice, resulting in a 20-12 deficit after the first eight minutes.
Sophomore Keyonta Davis led the way early on, netting five of his team-high 17 points on a three-pointer and a bucket.
Sophomores Keidreion Crump and Ali Tyson, along with freshman Amer Morrison, all got on the board with their first two points.
Freshman Terande Spencer had a free throw, part of a 5-0 stretch that ended the first and spanned to the second period.
Davis laid in a shot for the first points of the second, capping his seven points in the first half.
Scotland’s largest first-half lead, 12 points, came a few possessions later 26-14. But another Spencer free throw with 5:18 to play started a 7-0 run for the JV Raiders to close the half.
Spencer followed with a shot under the hoop and sophomore Davion Ingram and Morrison each made a steal and transition bucket in the final minute. At the half, Richmond was down 26-21.
Chipping away in the third, Richmond was led by six points from Crump, who finished with 10 points. Ingram netted his final five of seven points on a triple and a jumper.
Tyson, who scored four points in the third, started a 12-0 run that spanned to the fourth and gave the JV Raiders a 44-43 lead.
Crump scored a transition layup to end the third and Davis started his 10-point fourth quarter with a pair of triples, the latter of which made it a one-point advantage. Morrison added a bucket in between the threes.
Scotland regained a 47-44 lead and Davis drove the baseline for two more points. His final points of the season came at the 3:26 mark on a drive through the paint to knot the score at 48 points.
On the next trip down the floor, Crump rushed the lane for an easy two points. The bucket put Richmond up 50-48 with 3:05 left.
The JV Scots (14-5, 8-4 SAC) clamped down and ended the game on an 8-0 run. Several Richmond players had chances to score from down low and from range, but the ball didn’t go into the hoop.
Crump finished with 10 points, Ingram netted 7 points, while Morrison and Tyson each added 6 points. Spencer had 4 points.
Richmond and Calhoun finished the 2022-23 campaign, his first leading the team, with an 17-2 overall record and an 11-1 mark against SAC teams. With that record, the JV Raiders earned the junior varsity conference title.
The JV Raiders’ other loss was to Pinecrest High School during a non-conference holiday tournament in December. Through 19 games, Richmond averaged 62.5 points per game and held opponents to 41.6 points per game.
Richmond compiled a season-long 13-game winning streak spanning from Dec. 28 through Feb. 6.
