FAIRMONT — A new season of Richmond Raider basketball officially began Monday on the road at Fairmont High School.
Returning to where head coach Donald Pettigrew started his coaching career in 2017, the Raiders dropped their season opener 56-32 to the Golden Tornadoes.
Using a vastly different lineup compared to the last several seasons, the Raiders started a trio of freshmen — Xander Chavis, Kerick Hairston and Donovan Jones — and two senior players — Davion Ingram and Ahaiver McDonald.
Pettigrew used the first game of the season to rotate all of Richmond’s players into the action, something he expects to do while the program finds its footing early on. The team was without several of its returning starters due to football season.
Eight of the 13 players who entered the game found the basket, including a team-high seven points from McDonald. Sophomores Josiah Brewington and BJ Hinson both connected for six points in their varsity debut.
Ingram netted four points, Jones added three points and Hairston, senior Zyonn Mason and junior Zamarion Robinson each had two points.
Although the team struggled to find the basket Monday, Pettigrew praised his players for sticking with it and battling until the final buzzer. He also pointed out several areas of growth to the team during his postgame speech.
The Golden Tornadoes used their size and transition game to begin the opening stanza on a 20-6 run. Hairston scored Richmond’s first points of the season on a drive through the paint with 4:06 on the clock.
In the closing 1:33 of the quarter, Robinson recorded his first career varsity points on a shot under the rim and Ingram finished an athletic move through the lane for his first two points.
Both teams struggled to find any offensive rhythm in the second quarter, which led to Fairmont (2-2) taking a 29-11 lead at halftime.
Three more players got on the board in the second for Richmond, starting with McDonald posting up under the basket in the opening minute.
Jones, who helped run the point in his debut, connected on a free throw midway through the quarter. Hinson pulled up for a midrange jumper, his first career points, for the final basket by either team with just under two minutes remaining.
Richmond nearly doubled its score in the third quarter, adding its next 10 points from four players. McDonald was awarded two points on a goaltending call and Jones followed that with a transition basket through traffic.
Hinson drained a three-pointer from the right corner with three minutes to go and capped his scoring with a free throw with 14.5 seconds on the clock. Richmond’s other two points came from Brewington at the line, who finished the game 6-of-9 from the stripe.
The Raiders’ highest-scoring quarter was the final stanza, which saw them record their final 11 points. Down 44-21 to start, Brewington added his final four points in the closing eight minutes, all on foul shots.
McDonald made a drive and a free throw for his final three points, which were added to by a bucket apiece from Ingram and Mason, the latter’s first varsity bucket.
On the night, Richmond shot 11-of-43 (26%) from the floor and connected on 9-of-27 free throw attempts (33%).
Fairmont’s leading scorers were Xavier Johnson (17 points) and Tarique Leggett (nine points).
Richmond (0-1) has two more away games this week, starting with a trip to Westover High School (0-1) Friday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
The Raiders will then play in a holiday tournament Saturday at the Crown Coliseum against New Life Christian Academy at 2:30 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Unofficial statistics provided by assistant coach Keith Parsons. A photo gallery of Monday’s game will be published later this week.
