ROCKINGHAM — Sophomore basketball player Kellan Hood has been named the ROSports Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week presented by Moss Brothers Tires & Service.
After watching from the bench as his Raiders and Jack Britt High School duked it out during the first half of Friday’s Sandhills Athletic Conference game, Hood proved to be the difference maker in the second half to secure a much-needed SAC victory.
With just four games left in the regular season, this is Hood’s first career recognition.
Athletic Profile
Age: 15
Birthday: Feb. 22, 2004
Year: Sophomore
Winter Sport: Basketball
Position: Shooting Guard
Years on Varsity: 2 Years
Height & Weight: 5-10, 160 pounds
Experience: 9 Years
“RAINING THREES” WITH KELLAN HOOD
The Raider basketball team is slowly seeing its regular season coming to an end, and Richmond squared off against two tough teams last week. First, the Raiders dropped a one-possession game to Pinecrest High School on Tuesday, before using Hood’s big game three nights later to hold off a defensively tough Jack Britt team.
A shooting guard, Hood has seen his season progress from an injured shoulder at the start, to a season-high 15 points against Jack Britt. He registered all of his points coming off the bench in the second half, starting with a baseline floater with 1:40 left in the third quarter.
Hood netted three three-pointers, the most on the team, and hit his first one in the corner in the final second of the third period. That shot, along with teammate Jalen David’s three-pointer on the possession prior, gave Richmond a 44-43 lead at the end of three.
Admitting he was trying to regain his shot, Hood got into a groove in the fourth, netting 10 of Richmond’s 16 points to help put the game away. He dropped a mid-range jumper to start the fourth, giving the Raiders an eight-point lead, the largest advantage they would hold all game.
Draining his third and final shot from downtown, Hood kept the Raiders ahead with a triple from the left corner. He went on to hit both ends of a one-and-one opportunity to ice the 60-53 win with 46.6 seconds left on the clock.
“Today I found my shot again and that really helped us out a lot by creating a spark,” Hood said after the game. “It showed my teammates they could rely on me on offense.
Hood and the Raiders (14-6, 7-3 SAC) will return to the hardwood on Tuesday at home when they welcome in seventh-place Hoke County High School (7-13, 2-8 SAC).
Looking for the season sweep of the Bucks, Richmond’s eyes are also on Friday’s game at conference leader Lumberton High School (17-2, 8-1 SAC). Both games are set for a 7:30 p.m. start.
Raider Video Chats: Kellan Hood, Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week
In his video, Hood gives fans an inside look to what he was thinking during his second-half outburst, while also breaking down what fans can expect this week with two more big conference games. Also a football player, Hood compares the two sports and explains what makes head coach Donald Pettigrew such a great coach to play for.
Click photo for video.
