ROCKINGHAM — For the first time this season, the Richmond Senior High School junior varsity girls’ basketball team wasn’t victorious against a conference opponent Tuesday.
The JV Lady Raiders’ five-game winning streak to start action against Mid-South Conference teams came to an end on their home floor against Overhills High School.
Riddled by injuries and with only six players available, Richmond suffered a 48-41 loss.
“This was a tough loss because we were limited by injuries and we weren’t able to really get anything going offensively,” head coach Tonia Breeden said. “We also continued to make simple mistakes like missing free throws and open layups and that cost us.
“I’ve preached all season the importance of doing the little things right, and tonight those mistakes caught up with us,” she added. “I’m proud of the way all six girls played despite our team not being 100%. They really grinded through all four quarters.”
Freshman Amiyah Streeter dropped a team-high 27 points, netting 11 points before the break and 16 points in the second half.
Sophomore Erin Drumwright and freshman Emani Ingram each scored four points. Freshman Lyra Newton added three points from the line, sophomore Kaylee Connor scored two points and sophomore Alexis Mosley made one free throw.
The JV Lady Raiders were limited to single digits on the scoreboard in the first, second and fourth quarters. Overhills opened the game to take an 11-8 lead.
Streeter had her first five points on two buckets and a free throw. Newton kept the deficit to one possession when she made three of her four chances from the charity stripe.
The scoring in the second stanza mirrored the first, as the JV Lady Jaguars entered the locker room ahead 22-16.
Scoring six of Richmond’s eight points in the quarter was Streeter, who went 4-for-6 from the line and added a field goal. Drumwright entered the scoring column with a basket.
A momentum swing out of the break resulted in an 18-10 run for the JV Lady Raiders in the third quarter, which gave them a 34-32 lead heading into the final quarter.
Streeter again did the bulk of scoring, netting 12 points on five buckets and a pair of free throws. Ingram and Connor both made a basket and Drumwright netted her final two points.
Richmond’s two-point lead wouldn’t hold through the remainder of the game. Overhills outscored the JV Lady Raiders 16-7 in the closing eight minutes.
Streeter’s night came to an end with four points on two shots. Ingram made two free throw attempts and Mosley had the other point from the line.
Breeden said the JV Lady Raiders’ season is “officially over,” despite there being two more regular-season games scheduled.
Citing injuries, concern for the well-being of the team and Streeter’s anticipated move back to the varsity team as major catalysts, Breeden said the team will forfeit its final two games against Pinecrest and Jack Britt high schools.
With their season complete, the JV Lady Raiders finished with a 10-5 overall record and had a 5-1 mark against MSC opponents (not including the two pending forfeits).
