ROCKINGHAM — Over the last several years, Richmond and Cardinal Gibbons high schools have met several times on the football field, but never on the basketball court.
That will change Tuesday as the No. 2 Richmond Raider basketball team will host No. 7 Cardinal Gibbons in the third round of the NCHSAA 4A East state playoffs.
The Crusaders have had the Raiders’ number on the football field, but head coach Donald Pettigrew and the boys basketball team hope to shift the momentum and continue their march back to the state championship game.
The Raiders, who have won 16 straight games, have cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs, defeating No. 31 East Chapel Hill and No. 15 Riverside-Durham by an average of 42.5 points.
This will be the third straight season the Raiders have appeared in the third round. Cardinal Gibbons made first-round exits in each of the past two seasons.
No. 2 Richmond (23-5) will begin action against No. 7 Cardinal Gibbons (18-7) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Below are some fast facts about the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders:
- The Crusaders are coached by Brent Nolan and have won only three of their last five games. The team is 9-1 on the road this season.
- Cardinal Gibbons defeated No. 26 Southeast Raleigh in the first round and advanced in the second round with a win over No. 10 Overhills.
- During the regular season, the Crusaders placed first in the 4A CAP 6 Conference with a 9-1 record. But four of the five other teams finished below .500.
- Cardinal Gibbons has averaged 62.8 points per game this season, including 69.0 points in the postseason. Richmond is currently scoring 81.9 points per game and 99.0 points in the playoffs.
- The Crusaders have given up 53.8 points a game defensively, and have won their two playoff games by a margin of 23.0 PPG.
- Eight players on the team’s roster are 6-feet or taller, with junior power forward Cash McSweeny listed at 6-8, 210 pounds.
- Sophomore point guard Aiden Smalls (16.9 PPG) and McSweeny (16.4 PPG) lead the Crusaders in scoring. Smalls was out for two weeks but returned to play in both playoff games.
- Damon Phillips (9.1 PPG), Trey Jones (8.6 PPG) and Ronny Turner (8.3 PPG) are also regular contributors.
- McSweeny is close to averaging a double-double with a team-leading 9.8 rebounds per game. Turner has collected 7.3 boards per night.
- The Crusaders have connected on 43% of their field goals this season and 28% of their three-point attempts. Compare that to Richmond’s averages of 48% from the field and 35% from three-point land.
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