CAMERON — Unable to complete the season sweep of Union Pines High School on Tuesday, the Lady Raider basketball team couldn’t win its second straight game.
Continuing the second round of Sandhills Athletic Conference regular-season play, the Lady Raiders lost 40-27.
In the teams’ first meeting of the season earlier this month, Richmond earned a one-point victory. The difference on Tuesday, head coach Teddy Moseley said, was effort.
“The effort tonight on (Union Pines’) part was better than the effort on our part,” Moseley said. “Especially on the defensive end, and we don’t have anyone who can score the basketball consistently. That’s been our downfall all year.
“There were too many turnovers and too many missed layups tonight,” he added. “We looked like a completely different team than we have in the last few games.
Both teams struggled to score in the first quarter, ending in a 4-3 lead for Union Pines. Richmond started on a 3-0 run thanks to a basket from freshman J’Nasia Neal and a free throw by junior Makailah Jackson.
Trailing 9-3 early in the second, a 7-0 run put the Lady Raiders in the lead. Jackson got it started with two more of her team-high nine points from close range.
Sophomore Quanna Bostic drained a three-pointer from the left corner and a free throw from junior C’Niya Hinson made it a 10-9 lead for Richmond.
The Lady Vikings (7-11, 4-5 SAC) responded with an 11-2 run to take a 20-12 lead into halftime. Bostic, who finished the game with five points, scored underneath the basket for Richmond’s other two points.
Starting the third with a pair of Neal free throws, who ended with seven points, the Lady Raiders cut their deficit to three points, 24-21.
During that stretch, Jackson hit a pair of putbacks on offensive rebounds and senior Kyla Sampson recorded a three-pointer with 1:40 left in the period.
But again, Union Pines opened its lead with a late-quarter scoring run. The Lady Vikings netted the final six points of the period to regain a 30-21 lead.
Despite Jackson’s final two points early in the fourth, Union Pines led by as many as 13 points.
Senior Nyla Stroman (free throw) and Neal (field goal and free throw) cut into the lead, but Union Pines secured the win.
Leading the Lady Vikings in scoring was Taryn Pakala, who finished with a game-high 13 points. Savannah McCaskill added 8 points and Mikayla Dunn finished with 7 points.
The Lady Raiders (8-12, 5-5 SAC) will play at home on Friday and try to even the season series with Lee County High School (12-4, 5-3 SAC).
“What’s got to change to get a win is our effort and how we play,” Moseley shared. “One thing we can control is how hard we play.”
The game will start at 6 p.m. and the team’s three seniors will be recognized on senior night.
