ROCKINGHAM — Returning to action for the first time in a week and a half, the Richmond Senior High School boys’ varsity and junior varsity basketball teams earned wins on Tuesday.
Hosting Jack Britt High School, both the JV Raiders and Raiders completed the non-conference season sweep of the Buccaneers.
McNeil’s career-high paces Raiders
The varsity team rolled past the Buccaneers 76-41, using a new career-high 32 points from sophomore shooting guard Paul McNeil. His previous career best performance was 31 points as a freshman against Hoke County.
Richmond scored all of its points in the first three quarters of the game, remaining perfect on the season in the win column. Adding 12 points was sophomore Jamarion Wall, and senior wing Xavier Collazo netted a career-high 10 points.
The Raiders took a 20-18 lead after the first quarter, using 12 points from McNeil. Adding a three-pointer each were senior Deshon Watson and Wall, while junior Dakota Chavis hit a bucket for his two points in the game.
A 31-point second quarter broke the game open for Richmond, which took a 51-30 lead into the locker room. Collazo scored all 10 of his points in the second and McNeil added 12 points.
Wall hit another basket, sophomore Javian Drake scored the first four of his 5 points, and junior Zion Baldwin, who ended with 7 points, started his scoring with a bucket and a free throw.
Twenty-five more points from six different players in the third quarter put the game out of reach for the Raiders. McNeil netted his final 8 points, Wall drained 7 points and Baldwin added 4 points.
Drake added a free throw, junior Emoni McBride hit a three-pointer and senior Will Dawkins scored two points.
Richmond (8-0) will continue play on Tuesday, Dec. 28 against Lincoln Charter (7-3) in the opening round of the Cherokee Holiday Tournament.
Three double-digit scorers help JV Raiders to victory
A game-high 19 points from David McNair, coupled with 17 points from Raymond Knotts and 13 points by Toby McInnis, put the JV Raiders back in the win column.
Richmond handed the Buccaneers a 66-32 loss, bouncing back from a loss against Pinecrest High School on Dec. 10.
McNair scored 15 points in the first quarter to help the JV Raiders out to an early 22-12 lead after the opening eight minutes. Knotts scored 4 points and McInnis started with 3 points.
Fifteen more points by the JV Raiders in the second made their lead 37-18 at the break.
Ahaiver McDonald scored all 7 of his points in the second quarter, Knotts chipped in 4 points, and both McNair and McInnis had 2 points.
In the second half, Knotts led the Raiders with 9 points, followed by 8 points from McInnis. Keidreion Crump scored all of his 6 points on a pair of triples, and McNair and Keyonta Davis both scored 2 points.
With the win, the JV Raiders improved to 4-3 on the season.
