ROCKINGHAM — The pursuit of the program’s first state championship title continued Tuesday for the Richmond Senior High School girls’ basketball team.
Returning to the fourth round of the NCHSAA 4A East playoffs with their win, the No. 3 Lady Raiders defeated No. 11 New Hanover High School in the Round of 16.
Winning 48-44, Richmond clocked its second trip in as many seasons to the final eight in the 4A postseason.
Relying on their go-to scorer, the Lady Raiders were led by senior point guard Jamyia Lindsey’s 25 points.
Adding seven points was sophomore Madisen Jackson. Scoring six points each for the Lady Raiders were senior Sa’Quanna Bostic and junior Olivia Brown. Rounding out the team’s scoring were juniors Jasiah Gilchrist and J’Nasia Neal, both of whom had two points.
Tuesday’s playoff game was the second meeting between the two programs this season and was a much closer contest than Richmond’s 13-point victory on Nov. 23.
Both teams finished the first quarter tied 17-17. Lindsey had her first five points on a three-pointer and two free throws and Bostic matched with five points thanks to two buckets and a foul shot.
Jackson netted four points in the opening stanza and Brown drained the first of her two three-pointers in the game.
Another close second quarter ended on a 13-11 run for Richmond to put the Lady Raiders ahead 30-28 at halftime.
Finding her rhythm, Lindsey scored 12 points to give her 17 points at the half. She sandwiched a pair of three-pointers around three field goals. Bostic recorded a free throw for Richmond’s other point.
A 13-9 scoring stretch by the Lady Raiders proved to be the difference maker. Lindsey led the way with five points, sinking her final of four three-balls to go with two free throws.
Helping keep the Lady Raiders ahead 43-37 was a triple from Brown, a bucket and a free throw from Jackson and a field goal by Neal.
New Hanover (21-9) outscored Richmond 9-5 in the final eight minutes but it wasn’t enough to complete the upset. All of the Lady Raiders’ points came from the free throw line, including three shots from Lindsey and two from Gilchrist.
No. 3 Richmond (22-5) will travel for the first time this postseason and visit No. 2 Wakefield High School (24-3) Friday in the fourth round. The Lady Wolverines defeated No. 10 Overhills High School 73-58 in round three.
Tip-off of the Elite 8 game is tentatively set for 7 p.m.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by head coach Taneika Reader.
