FAYETTEVILLE — The team mentality of “taking one game at a time” has been the moniker for the Richmond Senior High School boys’ basketball team over the last month.
And it rang true again Friday on the road at Jack Britt High School, as the Raiders came from behind to edge the Buccaneers 49-48.
Thanks for a breakaway layup by sophomore Nygie Stroman in the closing seconds, the Raiders won their sixth-straight Sandhills Athletic Conference game.
In a game that was tied at 21 at halftime, and saw four lead changes and three ties in the third quarter, the Raiders managed to erase a seven-point deficit in the final 1:32 to secure the win. Richmond also avenged an earlier season loss on its home court to the Bucs.
As the regular season hits the home stretch, Richmond is now 11-9 overall, with a 6-4 record in SAC play. The win over the Buccaneers (11-8, 5-4 SAC), coupled with Seventy-First High School’s win over Lumberton High School Friday, put the Raiders alone in third place and just a game out of first.
“This is a big win for us,” head coach Donald Pettigrew smiled after the game. “We got a little sluggish and had some turnovers in the fourth quarter. And we were down seven with just over a minute to go — the boys just didn’t quit.
“I told them we were going to win this game,” he added. “A steal here or there and hitting some shots put us right back in the game. (Jack Britt) had a hard time with our full-court pressure and our guys just kept flying around. I’m proud of their composure.”
Stroman continued his hot streak for the Raiders, coming off a career-high 27 points a week ago against Purnell Swett High School. He dropped a game-high 22 points in the win over Jack Britt, but none more important than his five points in the final 92 seconds.
Trailing by seven points, Richmond’s largest deficit if the night, Stroman hit a contested three-pointer, his fourth and final one of the game, at the 1:32 mark of the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 48-44. Senior teammate Rod Newton splashed a deep triple of his own on the next possession, making it a one-point game.
Pettigrew called a timeout to rally his players, and out of the break, got some help from Jack Britt’s Langston Davis. On the ensuing inbound, Davis took the ball on the far sideline and mistepped, going out of bounds in the process.
After Richmond failed to score off the turnover, and committed a foul, Jack Britt went to the line for a one-and-one opportunity with a chance to ice the game with 10 seconds left. The ball rimmed out on the first attempt and junior center Jarvis Tillman came up with a huge rebound to set the game-winning sequence in motion.
Tillman sent an outlet pass to Stroman, who was charging down the middle of the court. Stroman reeled in the pass, and with his left hand, laid the ball up and in over Brandon Hayden with just 5.7 ticks left in regulation.
Nygie Stroman (10) lays in the game-winning shot over Brandon Hayden (2).
A Jack Britt half-court attempt as time expired was no good, sending the Raiders home with a win. Stroman netted 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, and Newton added 11 points of his own in the win.
Only six Raiders scored points in the game, as Tillman contributed six more. Rounding out the scoring attack for Richmond were Caleb Hood (four points) and Kellan Hood and Alex Quick, both of whom had three points.
“Nygie has really got it going on,” Pettigrew said. “He’s really feeling it right now and he’s always had the three ball going for him. He’ll be our go-to guy.
“We approached tonight the same way, like it was playoff game,” he concluded. “We don’t have much room for error. I know we are really starting to value possessions and second shots. It’s all about being patient right now and trying to make a run.”
Leading the Bucs on the stat sheet was Jordian Fox, who scored 12 points. Davis had 10 points in the loss.
Richmond will look to keep things rolling in the right direction as the regular season winds down when it travels to Hoke County High School (10-9, 3-6 SAC) Tuesday. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
