ROCKINGHAM — Richmond had already taken control of the game by the time Scotland’s boys basketball team found its rhythm in a rivalry game between the two schools on Friday night.

Richmond scored the first seven points of the game and jumped out to a 15-4 lead in the first quarter. The Raiders never relinquished that lead on the way to a 59-50 win over the Fighting Scots.

“We dug ourselves too big of a hole in the first half,” Scotland head coach Matt Justin said. “We struggled with almost every area. Blocking out. They killed us on the boards with their size. They were able to get second shots. They drove around us. We tried a 2-3, and they were hitting 3s.”

Richmond (8-8, 3-4 SAC) settled in quickly over the first two quarters, using four 3-pointers to take a 29-14 lead at halftime.

But the Scots (4-12, 2-5) used a 13-2 run to trim Richmond’s lead to 31-27 in the third quarter. Richmond responded with a 7-2 run and took a 38-29 lead heading into the final period.

Richmond’s Roderick Newton scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help diminish Scotland’s hopes of a comeback.

Scotland finished 9-of-19 at the free throw line, including a 6-of-11 mark in the fourth quarter.

Kris McLean scored 13 points for Scotland. Trey Graham added 12 points.

Scotland is 1-4 in its last five games.

Lady Scots lose to rivals

Richmond’s girls basketball team overcame a five-point deficit in the fourth quarter and defeated Scotland 46-38 on Friday night.

Scotland held a 29-24 lead at the end of the third quarter, but Richmond’s Layne Maultsby made a basket that tied the game at 29-all with just under seven minutes left in the game.

Richmond then took a 31-29 lead on a basket by Jakeera Covington. They held onto the lead for the rest of the game.

A pair of free throws by Scotland’s Niaria Leach closed Richmond’s lead to 38-34 late in the fourth quarter. That would be as close as the Lady Scots would get to their rivals, as Jayla McDougald hit a 3-pointer to give Richmond a seven-point advantage with 2:33 left in the game.

“We got a little careless with the ball,” Scotland coach Mallarie Snow said. “I think they rush it when people pick up their intensity on us.”

Leach had 16 points for the Lady Scots. Nautika Moore and Asjah Swindell added seven points apiece.

“We just have to do a better job of learning how to compose ourselves toward the end of the third quarter,” Snow said.

Maultsby scored 14 points for Richmond.

Up next

The Scots have a week off due to testing. They will be in action on Friday at Jack Britt. On Saturday, they will host Marlboro County in a nonconference matchup that was rescheduled from earlier in the season.

Scotland’s Asjah Swindell goes up for a contested shot against Richmond on Friday.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_IMG_1085.jpgScotland’s Asjah Swindell goes up for a contested shot against Richmond on Friday.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_Campbell.jpg

By Brandon Tester

Sports editor

Brandon Tester can be reached at [email protected] or 910-506-3170. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonTester.