ROCKINGHAM — A deep bench provided a wealth of scoring in the Richmond Raiders’ ninth straight win Friday.
Using 10 scorers in the Sandhills Athletic Conference game, the Raiders made quick work of Hoke County High School 79-29.
Following the lead of the Lady Raider basketball team earlier in the evening, Richmond used a running clock to extend its SAC winning streak to 31 games (including SAC tournament contests).
Leading by as many as 23 points in the first half, Richmond’s full-court press showed up in full force in the third quarter.
A 32-6 run broke the game open and a drive by senior wing Paul McNeil Jr. started the running clock with 2:13 left in the frame.
Led by its big three of seniors, Richmond used double-digit performances from McNeil Jr. (23 points), Jamarion Wall (14 points) and Javian Drake (11 points).
McNeil Jr., who had just six points at halftime, had a 17-point third quarter to go along with 10 rebounds. Drake had seven of his points in the third and chipped in five boards.
Adding to the mix, junior Ahaiver McDonald netted a career-high 17 points with four rebounds. He exploded in the second quarter with 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers.
Rounding out the scoring were Jayden Hamilton (four points), David McNair (three points), Davion Ingram (two points, six rebounds), Keyonta Davis and Amer Morrison (two points each) and Braylon Barfield (one point).
Early buckets by Wall and McNeil Jr. led to a 4-4 tie to start the first quarter. A baseline drive and a steal and layup by Drake gave the team a four-point lead, one it wouldn’t let go of the rest of the game.
Those baskets ignited a 14-4 run for the Raiders, which featured points from Davis, Wall, Hamilton and Ingram.
Up 18-10 to start the second, Richmond used a 10-0 spurt in the first two minutes to pad its lead.
McDonald had eight of those points, splashing down two triples from the same spot along the right wing and a layup after a turnover. Hamilton made an athletic basket in the paint before Franajai Ransom ended the Bucks’ drought.
Wall and McDonald each netted a triple and a McDonald drive opened it to a 36-14 advantage. Four points from McNeil Jr. and a Wall floater pushed it to a 42-19 lead at the break.
Sticking with its shutdown defense, Richmond used it to force a plethora of turnovers in the third quarter.
McNeil Jr. scored over half of the team’s 32 points on a three-pointer, six field goals and two free throws. He also had a pair of dunks, including a putback two-hander, that brought fans to their feet.
Drake got back in the mix with seven points on a trio of field goals and a free throw. McDonald capped his scoring with two buckets, as did Wall with a jumper. Barfield and Davis both had a free throw.
Head coach Donald Pettigrew cleared the bench in the fourth quarter, resting his starters. McNair drained a triple and Morrison added a bucket in the final eight minutes.
The Bucks (13-7, 5-4 SAC) used eight points from Ransom. Savion Kinston had five points and Salah Sutton and Jamari Harvey each had four points.
Staying home to start their final two-game week of the regular season, the Raiders (16-5, 9-0 SAC) will host Union Pines High School (10-9, 2-6 SAC) Tuesday.
The first-place Raiders will get underway against the Vikings, who are tied for last place, at 7:30 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Unofficial game statistics provided by assistant coach Keith Parsons and Kyle Pillar. The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery of Friday’s win soon.
