ROCKINGHAM — In the third quarter of Thursday’s Sandhills Athletic Conference opener against visiting Purnell Swett, the Richmond Senior girls basketball saw their seven-point halftime lead gradually slipping away.
The Raiders were held in check for the frame, while the Rams found an offensive rhythm and took their first lead of the contest then held it to the finish in a 43-38 victory.
Richmond (3-1, 0-1) coach Teddy Moseley spoke about the troubling quarter that saw the visitors go on a 13-0 spurt to take control of the contest.
“They went on that run because we couldn’t handle their press,” he said. “We had everything drawn up, but we just didn’t execute.”
Rams freshman point guard Kylie Chavis finished with a game-high 18 points, 11 of which came in the final two quarters. The win was Purnell Swett’s first win on the road over Richmond since 2013.
“Man, she was huge. We put a lot on her and we don’t look at her as a freshman,” said Purnell Purnell Swett (3-2, 1-0) Swett coach Jonathan Efird.
Chavis had six fourth-quarter points, including a tough layup in the lane, plus the foul, that created the biggest lead of the contest, 39-29, with 5:25 left.
Richmond forward Jakerra Covington paced the group for the second straight night, scoring 10 points, including three in the final period as they attempted a late comeback.
Keionna Love (eight points) hit a pair of free throws, then followed with a layup to cut the deficit to 40-35 with 1:42 left on the clock. Then teammate Davionna Campbell put in two of her eight points to cap a 6-0 run as the Raiders were within one possession.
“We hustled and I feel the effort was better. They didn’t quit,” said Moseley regarding the late push.
The Rams would cling to the lead just long enough to snap a 16-game losing streak in the conference.
“It’s a huge win. It’s a statement win to let people know we’re not to be slept on,” said Efird. “We have a lot of work to do still, but at the same time, it’s a bold win.”
A 23-16 halftime lead was chopped down to one point when Purnell Swett forward Chloe Locklear banked in a layup midway through the third quarter. Locklear had six of her seven points in the frame including two free throws that gave the Rams their first lead, 27-26.
In what Moseley called a “tale of two halves,” the Raiders held a slight advantage in the first eight minutes that saw both teams struggle offensively.
After taking a 9-8 lead into the second period, Richmond guard Jayla McDougald knocked down a three-pointer that opened a 21-15 advantage with just over a minute left in the half. McDougald assisted on a short basket moments before the break to stretch the lead to 23-16.
“In the beginning of the game, I just told them to play loose,” said Moseley. “I think they came out the second half just too confident.”
Natalie Evington added nine points for the Lady Rams.
Raiders rout Rams
The Richmond Senior boys basketball team scorched the nets early and had three players finish with double digits in the 61-34 home win over Purnell Swett in the SAC opener on Thursday.
Richmond (4-0, 1-0) guard Quamir Sivels had 14 points and knocked down a trio of three-pointers in the first quarter to help the Raiders sprint to a 20-11 lead.
Raiders center Jarvis Tillman put in 12 of his game-high 15 points in the first half. He also filled the stat sheet for the second straight contest ending with six rebounds and eight blocks.
Point guard P.J. McLaughlin swished a pair of treys in the second quarter and got the home squad a 40-16 advantage at the half. The lead swelled to 49-26 by the end of the third quarter as Tillman and the defense clamped down of the Rams and created transition opportunities.
Rams forward Nolan Locklear finished with a team-leading 12 points in the loss.
The Raiders are back in action on Monday to host Cheraw, while Purnell Swett (0-3, 0-1) is home against Marlboro County Tuesday
