Shawn Stinson/Daily Journal

Richmond Senior’s Jordan Richardson scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Raiders past Southern Lee.

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SOUTHERN PINES — When Kendo Wallace entered the game for Richmond Senior he was expected to give the team a boost on defense.

He did that and went a step further. Wallace provided the Raiders a lift on the other end of the court.

After sitting on the bench for the first three quarters, Wallace drained a 3-pointer from the right wing to open the fourth quarter to give Richmond the lead for good as the Raiders pulled away for a 63-44 win over Southern Lee in the semifinals of the Holiday in the Pines Tournament Wednesday night.

Wallace’s lone basket of the night sparked an 8-0 Richmond run after the Raiders trailed for the majority of the contest.

“I didn’t think I was going to play,” Wallace said. “The defense was playing off of me and I took the shot after a good pass from Josh (Calhoun).”

Richmond coach David Laton inserted Wallace to play the point on his 1-3-1 zone trap defense but added he felt there would be an opportunity for the junior on the offensive end as well.

“I felt that their zone was collapsing inside a bit and Kendo is one of our better shooters,” Laton said. “He didn’t feel any pressure and went out and hit the shot.

“I like having tall guys at the top of the zone because it makes it tough to throw the ball over the top.”

Wallace said the only words of advice Laton gave him before sending him out to the court was to stymie Southern Lee’s Ace Chalmers.

“He told me to put pressure on the ball,” Wallace said. “And to make sure No. 21 didn’t go by me and go to the hole.”

Through the first three quarters, Chalmers scored 10 points. After the Raiders switched to the 1-3-1 zone, Chalmers was scoreless. The Cavaliers (7-4) netted just six points in the final period and didn’t score in the last four minutes.

Jordan Richardson finished with a game-high 19 points for the Raiders, 11 in the fourth quarter. Shydamion Ellerbe recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Glenn chipped in with 13, while Josh Calhoun had 10 points and seven assists. Chalmers was the lone Southern Lee player to score in double figures.

The win allowed the Raiders to remain undefeated on the season at 8-0 and will face the winner of the Hillside-Pinecrest contest for the tournament crown today at 7:30 p.m.

JV Raiders advance to tourney finals

ASHEBORO — The Richmond Senior junior varsity boys basketball team downed East Chapel Hill 56-34 Wednesday to advance to today’s finals of the Bank of the Carolinas Tournament at the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA.

Xavier Davis and Greg Patterson scored 15 points for the Raiders, while Trevonne Pettigrew netted 11 in the win.

The Raiders knocked off Smith 46-42 in the opening round on Tuesday.

Richmond will face Kilsyth from Australia for the tournament title at 8:30 p.m.

In the girls half of the tournament, Richmond defeated East Chapel Hill in the loser’s bracket 35-29. Jessica Steen scored a team-high 11 points and Asiana Douglas contributed 10.

In the opening round, Richmond fell to Smith 34-32.

The Raiders will take on Northwest Guilford for fifth place at 1 p.m. today.

— Sports editor Shawn Stinson can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 14, or by email at sstinson@heartlandpublications.com