HIGH POINT, N.C. — A better all-around effort by the Richmond Senior High School girls’ basketball team led to a second-round win in the Sheetz Holiday Christmas Classic on Friday.
A day after struggling against North Davidson in the opening round, the Lady Raiders bounced back with a 45-37 win over Wesleyan Christian Academy in the consolation bracket.
Hitting double figures for Richmond (6-3) were senior guard Keionna Love and junior forward Jakerra Covington, who finished with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Also getting in on the scoring action was junior point guard Jayla McDougald, who netted 9 points in the win.
“We had much better effort tonight,” head coach Teddy Moseley said. “This was the best team game we’ve played so far this season. The girls shared the ball well and played better defense.”
Both teams started the game with nearly identical scoring, seeing the Lady Raiders take a 10-9 lead after the opening quarter. Love, along with fellow senior guard Jasmine Ewing, splashed down a three-pointer, while Covington drove the lane for two points. Love also had a field goal.
For the Lady Trojans, Morgan Carter helped keep up the pace early with five first-quarter points. Adding a bucket apiece were Sarah Chrapliwy and Meghan Howell.
Richmond distanced itself by outscoring Wesleyan (3-9) 14-5 in the second quarter. Covington and McDougald found the basket twice on field goals, and Love drained another triple. Junior center Davionna Campbell got in on the action with a bucket and a free throw.
Howell netted three more points for the Lady Trojans, and teammate Lillian McRae connected on both of her free throws. At the intermission, Richmond led 24-14.
The only period that Wesleyan outscored Richmond was in the third quarter, as the Lady Trojans found a rhythm for 18 points to Richmond’s 14 points. McRae, who ended the game with a team-high 15 points for Wesleyan, dropped two triples and four free throws for 10 points.
Helping close the gap were Howell and Lauren Marsh, who scored two three-pointers and a field goal, respectively.
Love would end her scoring performance in the third, adding her final seven points on a triple and two field goals. McDougald and freshman Kyla Sampson both added a three-pointer, and Covington contributed to her point total with a free throw.
Down the stretch, the Lady Raiders commanded the floor on both sides of the ball to earn the second-round win. Richmond’s lone basket would come from Campbell, but Covington and McDougald combined to convert on 5-of-6 free throw attempts to seal the deal.
McRae and Carter combined for all five of Wesleyan’s fourth-quarter points.
Moseley and the Lady Raiders will face Central Cabarrus High School (7-4) in the fifth-place game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Central Cabarrus defeated Pinecrest High School in the second round to set its matchup with Richmond.
