ROCKINGHAM — A six-word phrase was said often during Monday’s basketball tryout — “It’s that time of year again.”
The Richmond Senior High School boys’ basketball program took advantage of the first day of winter sports tryouts, as approximately 40 players came out for the varsity and junior varsity teams.
As the reigning 4A state runners-up, the Raiders are hoping to exceed those expectations this season and bring home the school’s first state championship.
Among those participating was senior Paul McNeil Jr., a North Carolina State University verbal commit. Also there were transfer Braylon Barfield, senior Jamarion Wall and a wealth of returning players from last season.
There were also several players like varsity starters Javian Drake and Jayden Hamilton, among others, who didn’t participate due to football season.
The tryout was led by several assistant coaches as head coach Donald Pettigrew, who is entering his seventh season, was out of town due to a family matter.
Monday’s tryout consisted mostly of players scrimmaging one another.
The Raiders will hold two more days of tryouts on Tuesday and Wednesday. That will be followed by the varsity and junior varsity teams’ first official practice on Thursday.
The Richmond Observer will continue its coverage of all of Richmond’s winter sports programs in the coming months.
Below are photos of Monday’s boys’ basketball tryout taken by sports editor Kyle Pillar.
