ROCKINGHAM — Up next in our Top Sports Stories series of the 2024-25 school year is the Richmond Senior High School boys’ basketball team.
When a new era of Richmond Raider hoops started this season after many of its members from the previous two seasons had graduated, only the team and head coach Donald Pettigrew knew what could happen.
Despite doubt being cast on the team following a 1-7 start, a stark contrast to making appearances in the state championship and regional championship the previous two winters, the Raiders rallied.
Richmond overcame the slow start and put together a season-long 13-game winning streak.
The Raiders also earned a share of the Sandhills Athletic Conference championship with Southern Lee High School, while pushing their way to the third round of the state playoffs.
Pettigrew and No. 8 Richmond defeated No. 25 South View and No. 9 Overhills high schools in the first and second rounds, respectively. The team’s Cinderella run came to an end against New Hanover High School, the eventual 4A state runner-up.
Reread the complete article from the team’s third round playoff game from March 5, 2025 below:
No. 8 Raiders exit playoffs in third round
WILMINGTON — Trying to take down the top seed in the 4A East Tuesday, the Richmond Raider basketball team was unsuccessful and saw its season come to an end.
Richmond and head coach Donald Pettigrew’s Cinderella run through the NCHSAA 4A playoffs came to an end in the third round.
The No. 8 Raiders, traveling for the first time this postseason, came up short 85-39 to No. 1 New Hanover High School.
In the rematch of last season’s 4A East regional championship, Richmond was led in scoring by junior Jayden Hamilton’s 16 points. Fellow junior Amer Morrison also reached double figures with 13 points.
Senior Ahaiver McDonald added six points, sophomore Chance Crowder had three points, senior Keyonta Davis netted two points and freshman Donovan Jones had one point.
The Raiders struggled from the field in Tuesday’s finale, shooting 15-for-58 (25.9%) and 2-of-18 from three-point land (11%).
Richmond trailed by only two possessions, 12-7, at the end of the first quarter. Using a big run in the second stanza, the Wildcats pulled ahead 35-19 at halftime.
Unable to recover, Richmond was outscored 31-8 in the third quarter and 19-8 in the final eight minutes.
The Raiders’ season came to an end with a 17-10 overall record in Pettigrew’s eighth season as head coach. After dropping seven of their first eight games, Richmond won 16 of its final 19 games.
Richmond recorded a 9-3 mark in the Sandhills Athletic Conference and earned a share of the conference title with Southern Lee High School.
The team’s longest winning streak of the season was 13 games, which spanned the majority of the second half of the season.
Leading the team in scoring this season were McDonald (13.5 PPG), Hamilton (12.5 PPG), Davis (10.2 PPG) and Morrison (9.5 PPG).
Tuesday’s playoff game marked the final career game for seniors Davis, McDonald, Davion Ingram, Tyshawn Harris, Zyonn Mason and Ali Tyson.
Making the 2024-25 All-SAC team were Davis, Hamilton, Morrison, Crowder and Harris (sportsmanship award). Pettigrew was tabbed as the conference’s Coach of the Year.
Sports editor’s note: Statistics and game information provided by assistant coach Keith Parsons.
