Home Local Sports CONFERENCE CHAMPS: Lady Raiders claim 2nd outright SAC title in 3 seasons

CONFERENCE CHAMPS: Lady Raiders claim 2nd outright SAC title in 3 seasons

The Lady Raiders pose for a team photo after clinching the 2023-24 SAC regular-season title. (Kyle Pillar, sports editor)

ROCKINGHAM — A week of growing anticipation peaked Tuesday when the Richmond Senior High School girls’ basketball team found out that the 2023-24 Sandhills Athletic Conference regular-season title would come down to Friday’s meeting.

Richmond and head coach Teddy Moseley held a one-game lead over Scotland High School in the standings since defeating the Lady Scots Jan. 23.

Scotland kept its hope alive by completing a fourth-quarter comeback against Lee County High School Tuesday, setting up the showdown Friday.

In the regular-season finale, the Lady Raiders earned a 59-38 victory over Scotland, cementing their second conference crown in three seasons.

It also marked the seventh time in the program’s history that the Lady Raiders finished with an undefeated record against conference opponents. 

Moseley and the team did it two years ago, while the other times were the 2010-11, 1998-99, 1997-98, 1983-84 and 1972-73 seasons.

The victory also extended Richmond’s winning streak to 13 games, the longest stretch without a loss in Moseley’s six seasons. The Lady Raiders also got the SAC’s automatic bid for the 4A state playoffs.

Friday was senior night, which recognized this season’s six senior players — Jamia Crowder, C’Niya Hinson, MaKailah Jackson, Ryelan Lyerly, Ciara Marshall and Yasmeen McLaughlin. Team manager Tasha Johnson was also celebrated.

A recognition ceremony was held shortly after the Lady Raiders’ win. Click here to see photos from senior night.

Although it was senior night, it was a trio of underclassmen that led the scoring for Richmond. Sophomore guard Jasiah Gilchrist scored 21 points, including three triples, to go along with four assists and two steals.

Junior point guard Jamyia Lindsey added 15 points in the win and grabbed six rebounds. She added six steals and dished out five assists.

Freshman forward Madisen Jackson netted 11 points, most of them in a breakaway third quarter, and had a team-high seven rebounds.

Lyerly had seven points, while MaKailah Jackson and junior Rena Drake each scored a bucket. The two combined for seven boards.

A grueling first half was broken open by a pair of runs by the Lady Raiders at the end of the first and second quarters. 

Lyerly scored Richmond’s first basket, off a bounce pass in the paint from Gilchrist, with 3:37 left to go in the first to make it a 2-1 lead. 

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Following a bucket by the Lady Scots (19-3, 10-2 SAC), Richmond closed the final 1:25 on an 8-0 spurt to take a 10-4 lead. 

Timely triples from opposite sides from Gilchrist and Lindsey were followed by a spinning jumper from Drake in the paint. 

To start the second, Lyerly splashed down a triple from the right corner. A Lindsey floater in transition made it 15-6. 

Madisen Jackson got on the scoresheet by returning her own rebound to the hoop, but Scotland closed its deficit to 17-13. 

A pair of timeouts yielded a 10-0 scoring run for Richmond in the final 2:23 of the half to take a 27-13 lead into the locker room. 

Madisen Jackson made another basket from underneath. Gilchrist sandwiched triples, one from each wing, around a Lindsey drive. 

Through the first six minutes of the third quarter, Richmond outscored Scotland 17-7, which was all of the Lady Raiders’ scoring.

Madisen Jackson, Lyerly and Lindsey each made a close-range field goal to start on a 6-0 run. Later, leading 33-16, Madisen Jackson completed an old-fashioned three-point play.

Gilchrist recorded four foul shots and a drive for six more points, while a jumper from Madisen Jackson helped put the Lady Raiders up 24 points, their largest lead of the game, 44-20.

Scotland used a four-point stretch to close the third quarter, but Richmond held a 20-point advantage.

Slowing down the game’s tempo in the final eight minutes, Gilchrist and Lindsey each made a trio of field goals for their final six points apiece. Near the two-minute mark, MaKailah Jackson made her basket from beneath the hoop.

Scotland managed to match Richmond’s 14 points in the fourth quarter. Leading the Lady Scots was Morgan Thompson’s 24 points. 

The Lady Raiders (20-4, 12-0 SAC) earned the No. 1 seed in the SAC championship tournament and will get a first-round bye.

Playing the winner of No. 4 Lee County (10-10, 6-6 SAC) and No. 5 Pinecrest (7-15, 5-7 SAC), Richmond will host either the Lady Yellow Jackets or Lady YPatriots next Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the semifinals round.

Sports editor’s note: Unofficial statistics provided by assistant coach Taneika Reader. Deon Cranford contributed to this article.



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Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.