FAYETTEVILLE — Last week when the Richmond Senior High School girls’ basketball team upset the No. 5 team in the state at home against Purnell Swett, the Lady Raiders were playing with an energy that head coach Teddy Moseley hadn’t seen before.
That win extended a season-high three-game winning streak, but in the last two contests, Richmond hasn’t played the same high-caliber basketball. On Friday, the Lady Raiders dropped their second straight contest on the road at Jack Britt High School.
Richmond fell by a final score of 59-41, and Moseley said the team’s defensive woes and inability to capitalize on easy buckets are what plagued the Lady Raiders down the stretch.
“We have to get better on the defensive end. We don’t jump the ball very well and the girls move when the other team catches the ball,” Moseley said. “It comes down to us being better defensively.”
The Lady Raiders struggled to stop Jack Britt’s senior scoring duo of Ashara Hayes and Nyla Cooper, who finished with 17 and 18 points, respectively. Richmond ran a 3-2 zone defense early in the game and switched to man coverage, but Jack Britt’s scorers still found the bucket.
Leading Richmond on the score sheet was senior point guard Jayla McDougald, who ended the night with 11 points and five rebounds. She shot 3-of-9 from the field, hitting three triples and added two free throws.
Junior Jamiya Ratliff contributed nine points and recorded team-highs in rebounds (nine) and blocks (four). All of Ratliff’s points came in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Kyla Sampson chipped in seven points off the bench, including one triple, junior Allyiah Swiney scored six points and senior Asia Douglas battled hard in the paint for her season-high five points.
“I made sure I got back every time in transition,” Douglas said of her effort. “Coach (Shannon) Jackson preached to me to make sure I drive to the basket. I was comfortable doing that tonight.
“We just need to get better on defense going forward, and run our plays on offense more effectively,” she added.
Both teams struggled to score in the first quarter, and Swiney broke the scoreless tie at the 4:33 mark with a free throw. Richmond held a 4-3 lead after the opening frame, with the other points coming on a Sampson triple from the right corner.
Jack Britt, which played its first game of the season, took control with a 9-2 run to begin the second. Cooper had five of the points, Hayes added a bucket and Jennifer Pongnon hit two free throws.
The Lady Raiders were outscored 20-7 in the frame, with points coming off a Sampson drive, a McDougald three-ball and a move in the paint by Swiney. At the break, Richmond trailed 23-11.
“This wasn’t a great team we played tonight, they just beat us,” Moseley said. “We either play to the level like we did against Purnell Swett or we play down to the level (of other teams). That’s what happened tonight and we have to find the medium spot.”
Richmond got back in the mix with an 8-5 run to begin the third. McDougald splashed down the first of her two threes in the quarter, and Douglas went to work with two drives in the paint, completing the old-fashioned three-point play on the second bucket.
Nariyah Nixon came to life in the third for Jack Britt, netting all eight of her points to help Jack Britt stay ahead. Hayes added seven more points and Amber Nealy scored the final three of her eight points in the game.
Starting the fourth quarter down 17 points, 43-26, Richmond couldn’t regain its footing. Cooper went a perfect 8-for-8 from the line, which included a series of technical foul free throws.
Ratliff wouldn’t let the deficit stop her, as she scored nine points on three field goals and three shots from the stripe. Sampson and sophomore C’Nedra Hinson added two points each.
“We have to play with some heart and some energy,” Moseley said. “And we have to do better at the line. We haven’t been shooting well from the line or the field.
“We don’t win the 50-50 balls and give up too many possessions. And it boils down to leaving too many points on the floor.”
In Friday’s loss, Richmond shot 11-for-42 from the floor (26.1 percent) and 9-for-26 at the line (34.6 percent).
When asked what it will take to get the Lady Raiders back to firing on all cylinders, Moseley said it rests with the players to find the spark.
“The girls are going to have to reset and the energy is going to have to come from them,” Moseley closed. “The coaching staff can’t want it more than they do or go out and play for them.
“Someone is going to have to step up and show some fire. If we show up and play, we are a much better team. Now it’s time to find that again.”
The Lady Raiders (3-3, 1-2 SAC) will look to reenter the win column on Tuesday on the road at Hoke County High School (0-5, 0-2 SAC). Richmond defeated the Lady Bucks 55-18 on Jan. 15. Opening tip is set for 5 p.m. in Raeford.
