ROWLAND— A back and fourth game came down to the last possession Tuesday, but the South Robeson boys’ basketball team could not convert in the clutch and fell to Richmond 53-47.

Raider Devontae Lindsey hit his second three of the game to give Richmond a 48-47 lead with 24 seconds left.

Tyray Belin, who had been solid all game, traveled at mid court, and a wild last few seconds ended with Will Freeman throwing one down and getting intentionally fouled.

It was a tough loss for South Robeson head coach Brian Grice, but he saw a hope from a team that returns only one starter from last season in Belin.

“We were a little under pressure and made some bad decisions towards the end that cost us the game,” he said. “Belin is going to be our key, and as he goes, we go.”

Belin filled up the scorebook, scoring 15 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and getting three steals, but had the costly turnover near the end of the game.

The Mustangs (1-2) took control early in the fourth, led by Belin and two threes by Deshawn Little to open up a six-point lead with four minutes left.

But after Anthony Keane made a big three in the corner for the Raiders, Freeman took a charge to give Richmond the ball down two with under a minute to go.

McIntosh had a big steal, but missed both foul shots leading to Lindsey’s big three.

Raider head coach David Laton knew that if his team started hitting shots near the end of the game they still had a chance.

“I’m proud that these guys showed a lot of character tonight,” Laton said. “Devontae hit that three down here and that was big for us.”

South Robeson got out to a quick 6-2 lead to start the game, but ball control and rebounding by Richmond (2-0) had cut the deficit to two by the end of the quarter.

Belin had eight of his team’s 10 points in the quarter, including two threes.

Some lazy Mustang passes allowed the Raiders to break through in the second quarter, with Lindsey getting a steal and a breakaway layup to take a 16-14 lead.

The lead would be short lived as Belin would answer with a basket, and the score remained tied at the half 19-all.

Richmond broke out in the third quarter, starting on a 7-0 run, but Belin and Jairus McIntosh picked up some key steals to bring it back to a tie game with a minute to go in the period.

Belin then scored on a last-second breakaway to give the Mustangs a one-point lead headed to the final quarter.

Richmond is idle until next Thursday, Dec. 3, when the Raiders travel to Whiteville.