SOUTHERN PINES — The field for the 10th annual Holiday in the Pines boys basketball tournament has been set and will feature two out-of-state schools.
Organizers have divided the eight teams into two brackets — Green and Gold. Middle Creek, Mount Zion, Nansemond River and Richmond have been placed in the Green, while Heritage, Pinecrest, South Lakes and Southern Lee will play in the Gold.
The tournament will run from Dec. 27 to 29 and will be played at Pinecrest High School.
Richmond Senior, which captured its first Holiday in the Pines title last December, will open play against Nansemond River at 6 p.m. on Dec. 27. The Warriors, out of Suffolk, Va., are currently 5-0 on the season.
“We don’t know much about them right now,” Richmond coach David Laton said. “We will get some information about them closer to the game.”
In last year’s tournament, Jordan Richardson averaged just over 16 points in the Raiders’ three games to earn Most Valuable Player honors. Shydamion Ellerbe, who scored a game-high 19 points in the finals against Hillside, was selected to the all-tournament team. Richmond defeated West Bladen in its opening game 79-55 and knocked off Southern Lee 63-44 in the semifinals.
Mount Zion and Middle Creek will take to the court in the tournament’s opening contest at 2 p.m. on Dec. 27. Southern Lee and Heritage will battle at 4 p.m. The host school will face off against South Lakes, from Reston, Va., in the nightcap at 8 p.m.
The loser of the Mount Zion-Middle Creek game will play the Richmond-Nansemond River loser at 2 p.m. on Dec. 28. The loser of the two Gold bracket contests will meet at 4 p.m. The evening matchups will begin at 6 p.m. with the winners from the Green bracket games meeting, followed by the other semifinal clash.
The tournament’s final day will begin with the seventh-place game at 10 a.m., the fifth-place contest at noon and the battle for third starting at 2 p.m. The tournament championship is scheduled to tip-off at 4 p.m.
“I figured we would play in a tough bracket and play some tough teams,” Laton said. “This tournament is a great way for us to prepare for conference. I think it’s the best thing for us. It bridges that gap so we avoid a real long layoff over the holidays.”
The Richmond girls basketball team will complete in the girls version of the Holiday in the Pines tournament, which begins next week. Those tournament pairings have not been released.
RSHS wrestling team splits
BISCOE — The Richmond Senior wrestling team went 1-1 in a tri-team match Wednesday night, defeating East Montgomery 45-29 and losing to Southwestern Randolph 82-0.
Against the Eagles, Trinity Hunt, Chris Covington, Jacob Staub, and Kenneth Hester recorded pinfall victories for the Raiders. Richmond’s R.J. Gordineer defeated Levi Rushing by decision, 17-13. Douglas Scott, Randy Altman and Deion Davis received forfeit victories.
In the match against the Cougars, Gordineer was the only Raider not to lose by pinfall. He was defeated by Wyatt Joyce by decision, 15-7.
Richmond will return to the mats Saturday at the Pin that Fool tournament at Hoke County.
— Sports editor Shawn Stinson can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 14, or by email at sstinson@heartlandpublications.com.
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