ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond girls basketball team kicked off the 2018 season, and a new era under first-year head coach Teddy Moseley, with a close 43-38 win over Whiteville on Tuesday.
Sophomore forward Jakerra Covington scored a game-high 14 points to lead the way for the Lady Raiders, junior center Jardai Tillman and senior guard Taliah Wall finished with eight each, and junior guard Allexis Swiney added six.
Although it was a winning start to his career, Moseley says the margin of victory could’ve been a lot higher if it wasn’t for a numerous amount of mental mistakes and missed opportunities in the early going and down the stretch.
Each time Richmond (1-0) began to pull away, a slew of unforced turnovers and missed layups helped Whiteville (0-1) stay within reach and eventually claw its way back into the game. Senior guard Marquasia Smith, sophomore guard I’Reona Johnson and freshman guard Trinity Smith were the ones who led the visiting team’s comebacks.
The Lady Wolfpack got within two points, 40-38, on a layup from Johnson with 1:50 to go in the game, but that was their last points of the game — as they couldn’t capitalize on any of their remaining scoring opportunities.
Wall iced the game for the Lady Raiders with a pair of free throws with 3.4 seconds left on the clock.
Richmond will now prepare for what Moseley believes will be “a tough game” at Pine Forest next Monday, Dec. 3.
NOTE: The full version of this story can be found in the print and e-editions of the Daily Journal on Wednesday, Nov. 28.
Players watch as a three-pointer from Allexis Swiney in the second quarter swishes through the net. Swiney scored six points to help Richmond take down non-conference foe Whiteville 43-38 in the teams’ season opener on Tuesday.