CAMERON — Another career performance from its freshman point guard helped the Lady Raider basketball team stay tied at the top of the Sandhills Athletic Conference standings on Friday.
Jamyia Lindsey continued her impressive start with a new career-high 34 points in Richmond’s 58-39 win over Union Pines High School.
Scoring 12 points in the first half, Lindsey beat a tough Lady Vikings’ double team on defense to net 22 points in the final two periods, including 13 points in the fourth quarter.
A 12-5 run in the first quarter, followed by an 8-0 run in the final three minutes of the second period, helped break the game open for Richmond.
“The girls played really good tonight and they kept scrapping to get the win,” assistant coach Taneika Reader said. “I told them at halftime that even with our 12-point lead we had to keep fighting, and our defense played really well tonight.
“A win like this builds up our confidence tremendously,” she added. “We played sluggish against Hoke County (on Tuesday), but the girls came out and rose to the occasion and the competition tonight. It was a momentum builder for the whole team.”
After going down two points early, Richmond responded with a 12-5 run in the first to take a five-point lead. Lindsey hit a pair of field goals before adding four free throws for 8 points in the opening frame.
Sophomore forward Ryelan Lyerly added a shot off the glass for her two points in the win, and senior center Jai’Maya Ratliff started her 12-point performance with a shot under the rim.
The Lady Raiders led by eight points three different times early in the second quarter, using a triple from junior wing C’Nedra Hinson and buckets from Lindsey and Ratliff.
Union Pines (7-7, 1-2 SAC) closed the gap to four points, but a pair of free throws from senior Miccah Wall started an 8-0 stretch by Richmond to close the half.
Adding the final two of her 5 points was Hinson, and both Lindsey and Ratliff netted another field goal. At the break, Richmond led 27-15.
Nine points from Lindsey in the third, including a triple and two field goals, helped Richmond stay ahead despite being outscored 17-15. Ratliff contributed four more points in the third and sophomore C’Niya Hinson knocked down a baseline jumper for her two points.
Down the stretch, the Lady Raiders’ defense kept Union Pines away from the basket. In the fourth quarter, Richmond held the Lady Vikings scoreless for over six minutes after allowing four points in the first two minutes.
Lindsey scored 8 points on field goals and another 5 points from the line. Ratliff added a bucket to cap her scoring and junior Joy Styles hit a free throw to round out the Lady Raiders’ efforts.
A three-pointer by Natalie Auman ended Union Pines’ scoring drought in the fourth with 12 seconds left in regulation.
Sara Adams led the Lady Vikings with 16 points in the loss, followed by 11 points from Aaliyah Balser.
“Jamyia (Lindsey) is the one we lean on to handle the ball and be our coach on the floor,” Reader said. “We depend on her a lot and she stepped up to the occasion tonight, especially being able to finish plays late and at the free throw line.
“Jai’Maya (Ratliff) is also a person we depend on a lot, and she brings that senior leadership and a lot of energy defensively,” she closed.
Richmond (9-4, 4-0 SAC) will look to add another win against a conference opponent when it hosts Lee County High School (1-10, 1-2 SAC) on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Currently, Richmond is tied with rival Scotland High School for the conference lead, as both teams are undefeated against SAC opponents.
