ROCKINGHAM – For the first time in 2018, the Richmond Senior High School varsity basketball team put together a complete game.
The result was the team’s first win in six games dating back to Dec. 29, 2017, as the Raiders came together for the full 32 minutes Friday night to end a five-game losing skid and held off Jack Britt High School 48-41 inside Raider Gymnasium.
And for first-year head coach Donald Pettigrew, it was a long time coming and is a sign of his players’ hard work and dedication despite being currently last in the Sandhills Athletic Conference.
“It was long overdue, and the guys played hard,” Pettigrew said with a big smile following the game. “I commend the guys because they know we’re last in the conference. But they practice hard every day. I’m so proud that they stood together no matter what.
“We finally put a whole game together,” he added.
As noted in a previous article, Pettigrew explained that his team has struggled at times this season with lapses in offense or defense. But that wasn’t the case Friday as the Raiders (6-12, 2-7 SAC) split the season series with the Buccaneers (7-11, 2-7 SAC).
In a first quarter that finished with both teams tied at 11 points, neither team found success in the opening two and a half minutes. After several missed opportunities from close range, Richmond junior guard Malik Stanback splashed down a deep three-pointer from the left wing to open the scoring at the 5:31 mark.
On the next Raiders possession, freshman guard Caleb Hood muscled his way down the left side of the key and knocked in his first bucket of the night. Richmond getting out to a quick 7-2 run would not only set the tone for the night’s game, but also prove to be essential in the late going.
Jack Britt junior guard Calvin Washington, whose 6-5 frame proved to be Richmond’s biggest obstacle on the night, drilled his first of three three-pointers to knot the game at nine with just over a minute to go in the opening quarter.
The second frame saw both the Raiders and the Bucs score their most points all night (15 and 13, respectively). But it also included two ties and seven lead changes. And the final lead change, which was a four-point play by Richmond junior guard Roderick Newton with 17.3 seconds to go before the half, would prove to be the game’s last.
Washington gained the Bucs’ first lead of the night when he hit another towering triple in the opening half minute of the second quarter, but was answered by three consecutive points by Hood.
Momentum took a swing in Richmond’s favor when Stanback dribbled hard along the baseline and attempted a monster two-handed jam over two Jack Britt defenders. Though he made it to the rim, Stanback’s attempt bounced out of the cylinder, but he was fouled and hit one of the two subsequent free throws.
Trailing the visiting team 22-19 with 1:30 left before the break, Stanback hit another deep three from his favorite spot of the floor on the left wing to tie it up. Enter Newton’s three-pointer over sophomore forward Jordion Fox, along with the free throw with 17.3 seconds left, and that would be the last lead change of the night.
Richmond found gold coming out of the locker room, as it started the third stanza on an 8-3 run to push the lead to 34-27. Stanback and Newton, who have proven to be consistent threats from downtown, combined for two more three-pointers.
Washington and company found minimal success after a timeout when they managed to score four points in under 15 seconds thanks a field goal and a Raiders turnover on a inbound pass.
Play became a lot more physical in the second half, and neither team racked up a ton of points on the scoreboard. But with the help of not having a shot clock, and smart offensive and defensive plays, Richmond was able to keep the Buccaneers from gaining any momentum.
The fourth quarter opened with Richmond junior guard Alex Quick rattling home a drive off a slick pass from senior teammate Carl McNeal. Moments later, senior forward Malik Flowers blocked a Jack Britt shot that sent the Buccaneers into a cold spell that would only garner seven points in the final four minutes of play.
Flowers erupted the crowd when he grabbed an offensive rebound under the hoop and sprang up for a fierce two-handed slam with 3:10 remaining. Quick followed it up by collecting a missed Stanback three and laid in a shot to push the lead to a nine-point advantage, 44-35, which would be Richmond’s largest lead of the night.
Pettigrew’s team flicked the ball all over the court in the game’s final 90 seconds, and forced Jack Britt to foul. Terry and Washington scrambled after a loose ball, and both players hit the hardwood, but not before it trickled out of bounds off of Washington with 30.1 seconds to go.
McNeal added an exclamation point to the victory when he swatted away a last-attempt shot with just 4.1 seconds in regulation.
Ten total Richmond players got on the board, with Stanback leading the way with 10 points. Newton chipped in nine, while Quick finished with eight. Flowers netted six points for the Raiders, and Hood tallied five. Another five Richmond players each finished with two points apiece.
Washington led all scorers with 16 points.
“I tell the guys there’s no shot clock; we don’t have rush,” Pettigrew said. “I want them to make the right play, take the best shot. And they’re getting better with that, and we will continue to get better. They did that tonight."
The Raiders will finish up the week’s action with their third consecutive night of play Saturday as New Life Christian Academy from Fayetteville (23-9) will visit Richmond. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m., as there are no Lady Raider or junior varsity games.
