Home Local Sports JV Raiders edged by one point despite 11 points from Harrington, Watson

JV Raiders edged by one point despite 11 points from Harrington, Watson

ROSports File Photo: Sophomore Deshon Watson scored 11 points in Friday's loss to Jack Britt
Kyle Pillar — Sports Editor.

ROCKINGHAM — Despite two double-digit scoring performances, and three more players with nine points, the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity boys’ basketball team suffered a heartbreak loss at home Friday.

Hosting Jack Britt High School, the Raiders’ first game since Dec. 21, Richmond would fall 63-62 to the Buccaneers.

Sophomores Mehki Harrington and Deshon Watson would lead the team with 11 points each, with all of Watson’s points coming in the second half. Freshman Dakota Chavis, along with sophomores Xavier Collazo and Luke Williams, finished with nine points.

Both teams got off to a fast start, finishing the first quarter tied 13-13. Collazo opened with five points in the first, and Chavis added a field goal and a free throw. Sophomore Travion Dumas connected on a three-pointer, and Harrington netted his first two points.

Jack Britt distanced itself to a 33-26 halftime lead by adding 20 points in the second quarter. Williams helped Richmond keep pace with five points in the frame, and sophomores Micah Jackson and Javares Stanback contributed three points each.

Dumas added a pair of free throws to finish his scoring with five points.

Down at halftime, the JV Raiders clawed their way back to add 16 points in the third quarter and outscore Jack Britt by one point. Watson, who went scoreless in the first half, connected on a field goal, two free throws and then a three-pointer for seven points.

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Harrington added a shot from beyond the arc and Collazo, Stanback and Williams scored two points to pull within six points, 48-42.

Again in the final quarter, Richmond outscored the Bucs 20-15, but the sloppy second quarter would come back to haunt the Raiders. Chavis began with a three-pointer, and Harrington added a field goal. The duo would come in clutch at the free throw line, combining for seven made shots in the fourth.

Watson added four points to move Richmond closer, and field goals from Collazo and Williams ended the Raiders’ scoring just a point shy of the Bucs.

Head coach Kenta Hutchinson saw his team suffer is second-straight loss and its record move to 7-3 overall on the season. Against Sandhills Athletic Conference opponents, Richmond is 1-2.

The JV Raiders will return to the floor at home on Tuesday against Hoke County High School. Tip is set for 6:30 p.m.



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Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.