RICHMOND — Since moving up a division, Richmond has added some Class C teams to its usual East-West Conference Class D schedule to gain some tournament points.
So far, though, the Bobcats have received strong competition from its Class D opponents. Friday, Vinalhaven took them to the final minute before the Bobcats pulled out a 36-31 victory, sealed by four straight free throws from senior Mackenzie Abbott.
At the halfway point in the season Richmond is 9-0 in Class C South while Vinalhaven fell to 6-3 in Class D South. The teams play again Saturday morning.
“I’ve seen them a few times before and I have a friend on the team so I knew it was going to be a game,” said junior Sydney Tilton, who led the Bobcats with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Richmond struggled at times against the Vikings’ 3-2 zone but also took advantage of 28 Vinalhaven turnovers. The Bobcats led 29-19 late in the third quarter when Tilton went to the bench for a rest, but when she returned the momentum had shifted. The Vikings ran off eight straight points with senior Deja Doughty scoring layups to start and end the run that cut the lead to 29-27. The Bobcats tried to hold the ball in the final minute and a half but turned the ball over twice.
“We’ve got sophomores and freshmen we’re playing so there’s going to be times when we make some mistakes,” Richmond coach Mike Ladner said.
A layup from Tilton ended Vinalhaven’s run before a pair of free throws and a layup cut the lead to 32-31 with 30 seconds left. Abbott, who finished with 10 points and four steals, was fouled twice down the stretch and made all four free throws to put the game away.
“She’s been paying well all year,” Ladner said.
The game was the seventh straight on the road for the Vikings, who play 11 of their 18 games away from home.
“That’s the way the schedule falls,” Vinalhaven coach Sandy Nelson said. “Living on an island, it’s got to be different.”
The Vikings played a tight 3-2 zone and led most of the first quarter until Bryanne Lancaster connected on a 3 from the right corner to make it 7-5 at the break. The teams each scored 12 points in the second quarter with Tilton and sophomore Caitlin Kendrick (eight points) loosening up the zone with 3-pointers.
Tilton did a nice job defensively, holding center Gilleyanne Davis-Oakes to three points.
“I front her and not have any good looks,” Tilton said. “She has moves on the inside. I don’t let her get the ball.”
Abbott scored a pair of layups in the third quarter, Kendrick hit a 3 and Cassidy Harriman scored three points as the Bobcats ran the lead to 29-19.
“Defensively I like the way we’re playing right now,” Ladner said. “Offensively I think we’re still a work in progress.”
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