ROCKINGHAM — Junior basketball player Patrick McLaughlin has been named the ROSports Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week presented by Moss Brothers Tires & Service.
The Richmond Senior High School basketball team is coming off a two-win week, as McLaughlin’s play from the point guard position played a big role in adding two more tallies in the win column. This is McLaughlin’s first career selection.
Athletic Profile
Age: 16
Birthday: July 18, 2003
Year: Junior
Winter Sport: Basketball
Position: Point Guard
Years on Varsity: 2 Years
Height & Weight: 5-9, 160 pounds
Experience: 13 Years
“RUNNING THE POINT” WITH PATRICK McLAUGHLIN
A two-year starting point guard for the Raiders, McLaughlin continued to grow in his role as the team’s floor general in two wins last week. The Raiders earned a non-conference win over Red Springs High School in the MLK Classic, before returning to Sandhills Athletic Conference play with a 40-point win over Purnell Swett High School.
Against the Red Devils, Richmond was down by six points in the fourth quarter. McLaughlin re-entered the game and went on a scoring burst, netting 10 of his 12 points in the final eight minutes. His play lifted the Raiders past Red Springs 56-51.
All 10 of his fourth-quarter points came in the final 2:38 of the game, and he tied the game at 49 points with just 1:15 on the clock with a steal and a layup. He also connected on a three-pointer moments before to set up the tying basket.
On defense, McLaughlin also forced two turnovers in the late going, one of which resulted in Nygie Stroman connecting on a basket to give the Raiders the lead. With 12 seconds left on the clock, McLaughlin added two free throws to ice the win.
Four nights later against the Rams, McLaughlin netted 15 points in a 69-29 win. The Raiders had the three-point shot working, hitting 10 shots from downtown, and McLaughlin led the team with three triples on the night.
McLaughlin credited staying late after practice to get more reps and more shots up as part of his recent scoring success, which he discusses in his video interview.
The Raiders (13-5, 6-2 SAC) will look to to shake up the SAC conference standings when they travel to current leader Pinecrest High School (16-2, 7-1) on Tuesday. Richmond is in third place heading into the game.
Raider Video Chats: Patrick McLaughlin, Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week
In his video, McLaughlin walks through his two high-scoring performances against Red Springs and Purnell Swett, discusses his growth as the team’s point guard and opens the door to some personal facts surrounding basketball, including what made the late Kobe Bryant an inspiration to him..
Click photo for video.
