ROCKINGHAM — Early connections from beyond the arc set the rhythm and pace of the Lady Raider basketball team’s scoring Monday.
Making up a snow-out from earlier this month, Richmond got back in the overall and conference win columns on its home floor.
Hosting fourth-place Jack Britt High School, the third-place Lady Raiders rolled to a 56-39 victory to complete the regular-season sweep of their Mid-South Conference opponent.
Strong scoring in the first and third quarters for Richmond alleviated a scoring lapse in the second stanza. Head coach Taneika Reader praised the team’s efforts Tuesday, especially after not playing well in a loss Friday.
“We may be down, but we’re never out of it,” Reader said. “We knew Friday wasn’t our best game and I challenged the girls to come out and play with focus and a purpose. They did that and it showed on the scoreboard.
“I thought we ran our plays well and that opened up the scoring lanes,” she added. “When that happens, more players can find the basket and that was evident with Madisen (Jackson) and Iyana (Little) tonight. We’ve got one more regular season game so we’ll see what we can do to better our odds.”
Senior Jasiah Gilchrist led all scorers with 20 points, scoring a dozen in the second half. Also in double figures was junior Madisen Jackson with 14 points. She had eight points after the break.
Senior J’Nasia Neal and junior Iyana Little spread their scoring across both halves, netting eight points each. Other scorers were senior Olivia Brown (3 points), junior Armoni Walden (2 points) and freshman Emani Ingram (1 point).
The first half was defined by a big run by both teams in either quarter. The first stanza belonged to the Lady Raiders, who used the three-point shot to take an early 19-3 lead.
Netting the first eight points by herself was Gilchrist, who started with a pair of triples from opposite wings. Assisting on the first shot was Jackson, and Brown found Gilchrist open on the second.
A transition bucket from Gilchrist capped her eight-point quarter, which was part of an 13-0 run to start the game. Brown chipped in a three-ball along the left side that was followed by a Jackson jumper in the paint.
Jack Britt got on the board at the 4:15 mark thanks to one free throw.
In the final 3:20 of the quarter, Richmond went on a 6-2 stretch to build its lead to 16 points. Little, Jackson and Walden each made a basket from close range to make it 19-1. The Lady Bucs scored a basket with 20 seconds to go for the quarter’s final points.
Momentum switched sides in the second quarter as Jack Britt (8-14, 3-6 MSC) cut its deficit to as few as five points. The Lady Bucs opened on a 10-0 run.
Richmond didn’t score in the second until Neal made the back end of a trip to the line with 2:43 to go. That was followed by the team’s next two points of the half when Jackson kissed the glass on an inbound pass from Neal.
Jack Britt outscored Richmond 14-6 in the second and used a basket with 28 seconds on the clock to make it a two-possession game, 22-17. Little made a shot underneath the hoop with seven seconds remaining to give the Lady Raiders a 24-17 lead at the break.
Similar to its pace in the first quarter, Richmond controlled the tempo to begin the third. Through the opening 4:52, the Lady Raiders outperformed the Lady Bucs 13-0 to build their lead to 37-17.
Starting the scoring stretch that put her team ahead for good was Gilchrist, who converted a steal into two easy points. A minute later, Neal was fouled on a bucket underneath and she made the and-one opportunity.
Jackson caught fire and netted the Lady Raiders’ next six points, starting with a putback on her own rebound. She followed with a free throw and splashed down the team’s final triple of the game from the left corner.
Ending the run was Gilchrist, who went coast-to-coast for a layup. That made it a 20-point lead with 3:08 on the clock.
A free throw from Gilchrist, along with a transition basket by Little and an Ingram shot from the line, gave the Lady Raiders a 41-25 lead to start the fourth.
Keeping the gas pedal down, the Lady Raiders went point-for-point and outscored Jack Britt 15-14 in the closing eight minutes. Neal had a pair of buckets through the first four minutes, which were sandwiched around a Little bucket assisted by Gilchrist.
Richmond’s final nine points came in the latter half of the quarter. Jackson made a shot after a steal for her final two points.
Netting the other seven points was Gilchrist. She made two technical foul free throws, another free throw and then two drives in the final minute to seal the deal.
The regular-season finale for the Lady Raiders (11-10, 5-4 MSC) is scheduled for Friday at Pine Forest High School (9-14, 2-7 MSC). Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
