SOUTHERN PINES — The only thing “over-rated” about Tuesday’s Sandhills Athletic Conference basketball game was Pinecrest’s hope of beating Richmond’s full-court press.
In what proved a much closer and more physical game than the Raiders’ 25-point victory over the Patriots on Dec. 5, a shutdown defensive effort in the final two quarters sparked a comeback victory for Richmond.
Extending their winning streak to eight games, and notching their fifth consecutive win over the Patriots, the Raiders battled back from an eight-point halftime deficit to earn an 83-68 victory.
After tying and retaking the lead in the final two minutes of the third quarter, Richmond essentially won the game at the free throw line.
Shooting 23-of-28 as a team (82%), Richmond was led by Paul McNeil Jr., who went 18-of-21 from the charity stripe (all in the second half). He finished with a game-high 34 points, including 29 points in the final two stanzas.
Adding to the barrage of free-throw scoring were senior Javian Drake and junior Ahaiver McDonald (both 2-for-3) and junior Keyonta Davis (1-for-2).
Drake (18 points), McDonald (10 points) and senior shooting guard Jamarion Wall (15 points) all reached double figures. Davis, Richmond’s only other scorer, had six points.
The Raiders led by as many as seven points, 11-4, in the first quarter after Davis made a steal and a bucket on an inbound pass. But Pinecrest used its physicality in the paint and Elijah Melton (nine points) to cut its deficit and end the first tied 18-18.
Davis and Wall each had six points in the first, with Davis making a bucket, three-pointer and a free throw. Wall knocked down a pair of triples from opposite sides of the arc.
McNeil Jr. and Drake, who each had five points in the first half, scored three and two points, respectively, in the opening quarter.
The Patriots (8-8, 2-5) continued their surge with an 8-2 run to open the second quarter. Trailing 26-20, Richmond head coach Donald Pettigrew called a timeout.
The Raiders managed to score just four more points in the final 4:28 of the quarter after the timeout. McNeil Jr. and McDonald each had a field goal. Pinecrest held a 32-24 lead at the break.
Making adjustments during halftime, the Raiders initiated its full-court press on defense for the entirety of the second half. Forcing numerous turnovers in the Patriots’ defensive end, Richmond started shifting the momentum in its favor for good.
A 13-5 run through the opening 3:35 seconds saw the Raiders tie the game 37-37. Contributing to the stretch of scoring were Drake, Wall and McNeil Jr. Drake caught an offensive board in the air and pumped it into the cylinder to reset the scoring.
Not going away, the Patriots used a three-pointer and a basket to regain a 42-37 advantage. Field goals from close range from Drake and Wall pulled Richmond within a point.
Getting warmed up at the free throw line, McNeil Jr. made two foul shots to cut Richmond’s hole to 44-43. Just 28 seconds later, he tied and gave the Raiders a one-point lead with two more free throws.
That was the last tie and lead change of the game, with Richmond pulling away to a 53-46 lead at the buzzer ending the third. McDonald had two key putbacks on offensive rebounds after McNeil’s free throws to help pad the lead.
McNeil Jr. capped the quarter with a jumper over Melton and shot off the glass inside the final 10 seconds.
Both teams lit up the scoreboard in the final eight minutes, but a 30-point performance by Richmond bested Pinecrest’s 22-point effort.
McNeil Jr. scored 16 points in the fourth, making 11 free throws to go with a triple and a jam. Drake and Wall each had five points and McDonald knocked down a basket and two free throws.
Azir Gillespie scored nine points in the fourth to pace the Patriots, but Pinecrest ran into foul trouble when two players fouled out. Zymire Spencer scored six points in the final period.
Richmond’s press limited Melton to just three points in the second half, as he finished with nine points. Gillespie had 16 points in the loss, and London Ravenell and Spencer each chipped in 15 points.
Richmond (15-5, 8-0 SAC) has its first home game in over two weeks Friday, when the Raiders host Hoke County High School (13-6, 5-3 SAC). Tip-off will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Unofficial statistics provided by assistant coach Keith Parsons and Kyle Pillar.
