FAYETTEVILLE — Through three games of the 9 Dime Fall League, the Raiders have a perfect record and two of the league’s top 10 point scorers.
Richmond and coach Maurice McLaurin returned to the hardwood Saturday at New Life Christian Academy for their week three matchup. The Raiders took down Orange Crush, made up of members of Southview High School, 48-35.
Playing two 20-minute halves with a running clock, the Raiders used a mix of senior leadership and the pop of some younger players to keep their record perfect.
Senior forward Nygie Stroman led the team with 17 points and nine rebounds, while fellow senior guard Dylan Lewis contributed seven points.
“It’s good to be 3-0 but our focus is getting to where we want to be,” McLaurin said. “The guys are playing hard and we want to see them continue to do that. Now it’s making the extra effort to track down loose balls and staying aggressive.
“Nygie had another really good game for us, and Dylan shot the ball well,” he added. “PJ (McLaughlin) did a great job of running the point and making sure his teammates got the ball to score. And Dakota (Chavis) also had a great game.”
The 9 Dime Fall League released a list of its top 10 scorers through the first three weeks of games and both Stroman and Lewis are in the mix. Stroman is fifth in the league with 14.5 points per game, while Lewis’ 11.6 points per game ranks ninth.
Stroman is also ranked third in the league in rebounds per game, averaging eight boards per contest.
Charles Clark, a regional scout and the league’s organizer, said Richmond’s team has been the most impressive squad to this point in the competition.
“Team Raiders hands down has been the #1 team so far,” Clark tweeted. “Unselfish group, intensity on the defensive end.”
Sophomore guard Dakota Chavis also caught the eye of Clark following his performance of five points in the win over Orange Crush.
“There is a lot to like about Team Raiders 2023 guard Dakota Chavis,” Clark said. “IQ beyond his years, knows how to run a team. Definitely one to keep an eye on!”
Rounding out the scoring for Richmond were Deshon Watson (5 points), Travis Thomas (4 points), Xavier Collazo (3 points) and McLaughlin (2 points).
Richmond will be back in action Saturday at New Life Christian Academy. Tipoff is set 11:15 a.m.
