SOUTHERN PINES — Returning to the road for another Sandhills Athletic Conference game at Pinecrest on Friday, the junior varsity Raiders came up short.
Calling the Patriots one of the “toughest teams” the JV Raiders will face this season, head coach Kenta Hutchinson and Richmond lost 85-63.
“We fought all game and we had them where we wanted them,” Hutchinson said. “We had a good first quarter and came into halftime down seven. The biggest thing we have to work on is finishing around the basket.
“We’re still a young team that’s adjusting to the speed of the game,” he added. “I’d like to see us get better doing the little things like rebounding and getting loose balls on the floors.”
Freshman Raymond Knotts was Richmond’s leading scorer, knocking down a career-high 28 points. He had 12 points in the first half, before adding 16 points in the final two periods.
Knotts connected on a team-high three triples, including two in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore David McNair also reached double digits, scoring 12 points in the loss. Freshman Keyonta Davis had 7 points and sophomore Toby McInnis chipped in 6 points, all in the first half.
“Raymond had a really good game for us and this was the type of game offensively we’ve been waiting for him to have,” Hutchinson said.
“He found a rhythm tonight and we relied on him heavily in the second, third and fourth quarters. David also had a pretty solid game offensively.”
Richmond trailed 17-15 after the first quarter, which saw McNair lead the way with 5 points. Knotts netted his first 4 points, as did McInnis, and sophomore Jada Zimmerman added a field goal for two of his 4 points in the game.
Eight points from Knotts in the second quarter, coming on three field goals and two free throws, helped the Raiders stay close at the break.
Davis knocked down a trio of free throws and McNair, McInnis and freshman Ahaiver McDonald added two points apiece.
Richmond entered the locker room down 39-32 to the JV Patriots.
The two teams traded buckets in the third quarter, and Richmond trailed by 9 points entering the final stanza. Knotts accounted for 8 points in the third, followed by three from McNair and two points each by Davis and Zimmerman.
But a 29-12 run by Pinecrest in the last period helped distance the JV Patriots for good. Knotts scored the final eight of his points on two three-pointers and two free throws.
Adding the other four points for Richmond with two each were Davis and McNair.
“Pinecrest was deep and they played about 12 guys,” Hutchinson explained. “They were a really good team and they did things the right way. And they were scrappy.
“Even though we lost, I feel like we grew up a lot,” he closed. “That’s probably the best team we’ve played this year and they’ll be one of the toughest teams in the conference.”
The JV Raiders now sit with a 3-3 overall record and a 1-1 mark against SAC opponents.
