ROCKINGHAM — From the opening possession of Thursday’s second round playoff game, the No. 1 Richmond Raider basketball team controlled the tempo to advance in its quest for its first state championship.
Using a season-high 12 scorers, including four double-digit scorers and two double-doubles, the Raiders cruised past No. 16 Wake Forest High School 87-57.
Snapping a six-game losing streak in the second round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs, the Raiders punched their ticket to the third round for the first time since 2012.
It’s also the first time since 2003-04 that the Raiders have made it to the third round in the East bracket.
Richmond and head coach Donald Pettigrew also tied a program record with their 25th win of the season, tying a mark set by the 1995-96 and 1996-97 teams. Both of those squads, which Pettigrew played on, made it to the state title game.
Scoring at least 20 points in all four quarters, the Raiders were led by sophomore shooting guard Paul McNeil’s game-high 17 points. He nearly had a triple-double, finishing with 19 rebounds and 9 assists.
Joining him with a double-double was junior forward Zion Baldwin, who added 11 points and grabbed a team-high 20 boards. Both McNeil and Baldwin had double-doubles entering the locker room at halftime.
Senior Deshon Watson (14 points) and junior Dakota Chavis (13 points) rounded out the top four scorers. Sophomore Javian Drake netted 9 points in the win.
Junior Zion Baldwin (10) lays in two points on the opening possession. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
A 20-8 run in the first quarter for Richmond started with a Baldwin layup following the opening tip. Watson hit a shot off the glass for his first points and Chavis splashed down a three-pointer from the right corner to make it a 7-3 lead.
Two more quick putbacks by Watson gave him six points early, and a drive in the paint from McNeil started his scoring. He chipped in a baseline floater and two free throws to give him six points after the first eight minutes.
Another Baldwin bucket and a Chavis free throw put Richmond up 12 points. Nigel Lucas scored three points for the Cougars (18-7), while A.J. Smalls and Jaevian Alston each had two points.
Senior Deshon Watson (4) defends Dashaun Grant (2) in the first half. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
The second period featured 23 more points from five different Raiders to give the home team a 43-20 lead. Baldwin netted his final seven points, using five free throws and a shot under the rim with just over two minutes to play.
Two free throws and two drives by McNeil gave him 12 points at the break, and Drake joined the scoring with a three-pointer and a trio of free throws.
Chavis drove the lane and split a pair of defenders for two more points, and a drive from senior Xavier Collazo with three seconds left gave him his two points and Richmond its largest lead of the first half.
Jamarion Wall (15) celebrates with Javian Drake following a three-pointer in the second quarter. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
Wake Forest, which suffered its largest margin of defeat since 2018, outscored Richmond 5-2 in the first couple of minutes of the third. Watson scored the first seven points for the Raiders on a layup, three-pointer and a putback to make it a 50-25 lead.
Sophomore Jamarion Wall scored all four of his points in the third, connecting on a layup and a jumper on the next two possessions. Watson capped his scoring with a free throw with just under three to play.
McNeil added a triple from the right wing, Drake had a jumper and a free throw and Chavis added his five more points on a layup and an old-fashioned three-point play. Chavis’ bucket with 30 seconds left made it a 66-33 lead.
Junior Dakota Chavis (5) splits two defenders for a layup in Richmond’s second round win. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
A bucket by McNeil and two free throws from Chavis to open the fourth gave the Raiders a 35-point lead, 70-35, their largest of the game.
With 6:21 left in regulation, Pettigrew pulled his starters to a standing ovation. In the closing minutes, five other Raiders found the basket.
Senior Will Dawkins scored five points on three free throws and a putback, and sophomore David McNair also added five points. Senior Travion Dumas connected on a three-pointer and senior Domanyck McDonald and freshman Raymond Knotts tallied two points apiece.
Smalls had a team-high 13 points for the Cougars, followed by Lucas (10 points).
Richmond will host No. 8 Pine Forest High School (23-4) on Saturday. The game time is to be determined. The Trojans defeated No. 9 Lumberton High School 59-51 to set up a rematch.
Earlier this season, the Raiders edged the Trojans 66-64 in the Jason Norton Classic. Watson hit a putback at the buzzer during the home game on Dec. 3.
