RAEFORD — The Richmond Senior High School boys’ and girls’ junior varsity basketball teams both returned to the win column on Friday.
After the two teams fell earlier in the week to Pinecrest, the JV Raiders and Lady Raiders defeated Hoke County on the road.
JV Lady Raiders rout Hoke County
The JV Lady Raiders made quick work against the Lady Bucks, winning 60-16. Three players reached double digits, including a season-high 24 points from sophomore Yasmeen McLaughlin.
Sophomore Jamia Crowder added 16 points and freshman Quanna Bostic scored 12 points. Also finding the basket were Jasmine Williams (6 points) and Da’Veah Robinson (2 points).
“This was a great win after Wednesday night's loss,” head coach Tonia Breeden said. “The girls started out slow but at the end of the second quarter they stepped it up and never let off the gas.
“I'm so proud of how all the girls played. Everybody did their job and we came away with a great win.”
Richmond led 9-8 after the first quarter, but pulled ahead to take a 24-10 lead into halftime. Bostic had 11 points in the first half and McLaughlin added 9 points.
A 14-2 run in the third opened the game up for Richmond, which then scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to secure the Sandhills Athletic Conference win.
Crowder netted 12 points in the fourth and McLaughlin hit five field goals for her final 10 points.
The JV Lady Raiders (6-3, 4-2 SAC) will play at Union Pines High School on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
JV Raiders edge Bucks late
Following the girls’ game, the JV Raiders erased a fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Hoke County 56-52.
“After coming off a loss, you always want to find yourself back in the win column,” head coach Kenta Hutchinson said. “We beat them in early January by a good margin but road wins at Hoke County are always hard to come by.
“We knew they would compete and play hard, and I love the atmosphere,” he added. “Their energy and fans always make it interesting.”
Hutchinson said Richmond trailed the entire game until the late fourth quarter. Freshmen Raymond Knotts and Ahaiver McDonald “knocked down big threes to close the gap and put us up.”
Fellow freshman Keyonta Davis sealed the win with some late-game free throws. Hutchinson said he was “really impressed with Toby McInnis… his all-around play really gave us the spark we needed and he was all-in this game.”
Knotts led the team with 14 points, McDonald added 13 points and McInnis nearly had a double-double with 9 points and 12 rebounds.
Davis finished with 7 points, but none were more important than his three free throws late in the game. David McNair and Keidreion Crump both tallied 6 points and Jada Zimmerman finished with 5 points.
The JV Raiders (8-5, 4-2 SAC) will also play at Union Pines on Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m.
