The old saying “records are meant to be broken” couldn’t have better described the Richmond Senior boys basketball team and its run throughout the 2016-2017 season.
When it was all said and done, the Raiders broke multiple school and state records and finished as the top-scoring team in the nation. Although many people may have not liked “The System” that was ran, it undoubtedly helped Richmond garner attention throughout the state and across the country.
WHAT HAPPENED
In its season opener, seven Raiders reached double figures in an 130-90 win over Anson — setting a new school record for the most points scored in a single game.
They also set a new state record in that game for the most points scored by a team in a single quarter by pouring in 50 points in the fourth period. Southern Durham held the record for almost 16 years, as it scored 49 points in one period against J.F. Webb on Jan. 8, 2001.
Richmond would break the school record (for most points in a game) two more times throughout the course of the season — both times against Purnell Swett. It scored 132 points against the Rams on the road in early January and then exploded for 141 points at home less than a month later.
That second meeeting between Richmond and Purnell Swett broke the state record for the most points scored by both teams in a single game (246). The previous record for that achievement was set 17 years ago when East Mecklenburg (124) and Harding (121) combined for 245 points in a triple-overtime game.
Three days later, the Raiders scored 104 points in a comeback win over Lumberton and grabbed the top spot in the North Carolina record books for the most 100-point games in a single basketball season. That was their 15th time reaching the century mark in game.
At the conclusion of the season, Richmond had scored at least 100 points in 17 of the 27 games played. Durham Hillside was at the top of the list for more than 50 years, as its team during the 1965-66 season reached triple figures 14 times.
Scoring that many points on such a consistent basis helped the Raiders become the No. 1 scoring high school basketball team in the country, putting up 100.9 points per game. They finished ahead of South Bronx Prep (New York), Findlay Prep (Nevada), Rome Free Academy (New York) and Chino Hills (California) — which featured LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball, brothers of soon-to-be first-round NBA draft pick Lonzo Ball.
WHAT WAS SAID
“It’s all about teamwork and working together. It feels good to be on the team that holds the record.” — former guard Devonta McNair
WHAT’S NEXT
Richmond is currently experiencing a major shift in the program.
The Raiders lost nine seniors to graduation and are only returning six players — who are all guards — from last year’s squad. Malik Flowers, a rising senior who averaged 8.6 points per game this past season, is the leading returner.
Also, Donald Pettigrew last week was named the program’s head coach after 16 years of being an assistant to both David May and David Laton. Pettigrew said the team will play more “bully ball” next season instead of running “The System,” which more than likely means Richmond will not be leading the nation in scoring in the near future.
Reach sports editor Leon Hargrove Jr. at 910-817-2673 and follow the sports section on Twitter @RCDailySports.
The Richmond Senior basketball team’s fast-paced system helped it break almost every school scoring record and set four new state records during the 2016-2017 season. The Raiders also averaged 100.9 points per game in order to finish as the nation’s top scoring team.