RAEFORD — Staying undefeated in conference play, the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity girls’ basketball team picked up a road win Tuesday.
Playing their first of two away Mid-South Conference games this week, the JV Lady Raiders defeated Hoke County High School 71-32.
Recording their second consecutive running-clock win, the JV Lady Raiders secured enough points to win the game at halftime.
Big nights on the scoresheet from freshman Emani Ingram and sophomore Mary Little paced the team. Ingram nearly outscored Hoke County’s entire team, finishing with 26 points, while Little had her best game of the season with 18 points.
Sophomore Kaylee Connor and Erin Drumwright scored eight and nine points, respectively. Also contributing to the win were freshman Lyra Newton and sophomore Alexis Mosley (4 points each) and freshman Emoni Covington (2 points).
A 22-8 scoring run is how the first quarter started and finished for the Lady Raiders. All seven players who scored found the basket in the early going, led by Little’s 11 points on five field goals and a free throw.
Connor, Drumwright, Ingram and Mosley each netted a field goal for two points each. Newton also had two points, which both came from the free throw line. Covington made one shot from the line.
Ingram scored nine points in the second quarter on a field goal and a perfect 7-for-7 performance from the charity stripe.
Adding to the 16-7 run to make it 38-15 at halftime were Connor, Drumwright and Newton, all of whom had another basket. Covington ended her scoring with another free throw.
Like she did in the second quarter, Ingram powered Richmond’s offense in the third stanza with another 13 points. She connected on five baskets from the floor and made three foul shots.
Keeping with their routine, both Connor and Drumwright scored a field goal apiece. Extending the lead to 54-27 was a free throw from Little.
For good measure, the JV Lady Raiders outpaced the JV Lady Bucks 17-5 in the closing stanza. Little’s final six points, which led the team in the fourth, all came from the field.
Ingram netted a pair of buckets for her final four points, Drumwright scored three shots from the line, and both Connor and Mosley added two points on a basket and two free throws, respectively.
“We got another win under our belt tonight, but there were still way too many turnovers and missed layups,” head coach Tonia Breeden shared. “Those are things that will cost us in a close game, so we’re trying to address those issues now.
“Mary and E-Man (Ingram) played well for us tonight, and both were efficient when it came to finding the basket,” she added. “We’ll get back in the lab for Friday's game where we’ll hopefully pick up another conference win.”
The JV Lady Raiders (7-4, 2-0 MSC) will travel to Overhills High School Friday. The game will begin at 5 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Game information and statistics provided by head coach Tonia Breeden.
