ROCKINGHAM — Nyla Stroman’s only point during Friday’s game was the biggest one for the Richmond Senior High School girls’ basketball team.
The senior forward netted a free throw with 8.9 seconds left in regulation to give the Lady Raiders a three-point lead, one the team would hold onto for its first win.
Snapping a five-game losing streak to start the season, the Lady Raiders used a high-scoring first half to edge Uwharrie Charter Academy 42-39.
Holding off a second-half push by the Lady Eagles (2-2), Richmond was led in scoring by junior guard Keyoni Nichols’ career-high 12 points. She also had a team-high four rebounds.
Also reaching double-digits was sophomore Quanna Bostic, who scored 11 points and added three boards. Senior guard C’Nedra Hinson scored a season-high eight points, including a clutch three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
Scoring the game’s first point on a free throw was freshman J’Nasia Neal, and after allowing a bucket by Uwharrie Charter, Richmond rolled on an 11-2 run to close the quarter.
Bostic bookended the scoring spurt with a pair of three-pointers and Nichols drained a shot from downtown for the first of her three triples in the game. Adding a drive through the lane was freshman Olivia Brown, who finished with two points.
A 19-point second quarter proved to be the difference maker for Richmond, which took a 31-9 lead into the locker room.
Nichols started the frame with a three-ball from the right corner and later added a free throw. Junior forward C’Niya Hinson made it a 20-7 advantage with a pair of close-range field goals near the midway point.
A triple and a bucket from C’Nedra Hinson got her night started, and Bostic, Neal and Nichols each added two more points before time expired.
Head coach Teddy Moseley said the message at halftime was that the Lady Raiders needed to finish what they started. Despite not producing as much offense, the team responded.
Outscored 15-3 in the third, Richmond’s only points came from a Nichols three-pointer with 2:01 to play.
Eight points in the final eight minutes was enough to hold onto the win, despite allowing the Lady Eagles to score another 15 points. A Bostic drive, C’Nedra Hinson’s three-ball and a free throw from C’Niya Hinson accounted for seven points.
Uwharrie Charter cut its deficit down to two points thanks to a drive by Blakeley Justus with 12.9 seconds left. But a foul against Stroman in the double-bonus sent her to the line for the game’s final point.
Ashara Spruill was the game’s leading scorer with 17 points for the Lady Eagles. Savannah Surratt added eight points in the loss.
Hoping to keep the momentum going next week, the Lady Raiders (1-5) will start Sandhills Athletic Conference play.
Richmond will travel to Pinecrest High School (1-1) on Friday and begin at 6 p.m.
