The Richmond Hill High School Lady Wildcats played host to the Statesboro High School Lady Blue Devils on Friday night, winning 42-28.

It was also Senior Night for the Lady Wildcats and three seniors were recognized in their final season on the floor. Reigning 1-7A Defensive Player of the Year Mmekom Inyang, Baker’s Sports Athlete of the Week Jada Brown and this summer’s Wildcat Shootaround Top performer, Ariyana Canady, were all recognized. 

The Wildcats won the opening tip off, as they have at every home game so far this season, but were unable to capitalize as Jada Brown slipped on the floor and turned the ball over to the Lady Blue Devils. However, Inyang was able to get the first points on the board for either team at the 6:40 mark in the first period. 

That was followed up with a quick score from Jada Brown, and Inyang would then score again for good measure as the Lady ‘Cats were able to go on a 6-0 run to open up the scoring in the first period. That run would keep them in the lead as the first period ended, with the Lady ‘Cats ahead by an 11-5 score. 

The second period was one to forget for Richmond Hill, as they had several turnovers and missed opportunities in the period. That resulted in the Lady Blue Devils leading the scoring in the period, 5-4. The Lady Wildcats took a 15-10 lead into the break. 

“Our message at the half was to just finish,” head girls basketball coach Sarah Jones said. “Just finish under the basket. We were not finishing. 

“We told them to not give your opponents second chances. Don’t bail them out when they make mistakes and bad plays by giving them the ball back and to finish on offense.”

Message received. The Lady Wildcats came out of the locker room like a new team, and played much better as they started the second half. Their scoring on offense was much improved in the third, as they would finish with 12 points in the period and had less turnovers. On defense, they allowed 6 points and would close the period with a 27-16 lead. 

The fourth period was much of the same, as the Lady ‘Cats would score their most points in a period, in the game, with 15 points. Late in the fourth, the Lady Blue Devils attempted a comeback, but came up short with only 12 points in the period. 

“Our next game with Jenkins, it’s about us,” Jones said. “We have to be sure that we cleanup the unforced turnovers we had tonight. We had way too many of those. We have to be better within ourselves. We can’t try to push the ball with the lead and we need to have better game management.”

As the Lady Wildcats wrapped up their game, one thing that stood out in this game, and much of the season to this point, is how well they play as a group on the defensive side of the ball.

“Defense is a staple for us,” Jones said. “We have to play really good defense at all times. The defensive side of the ball is key, and we have to be sure to stay in position so we can win that side of the game.”

Richmond Hill moves forward with their undefeated season, reaching 7-0 on the year. But that record is not at the forefront of anyone’s minds within the Lady Wildcats program. 

“We just take it one game at a time,” Jones said. “We shoot for 1-0 at the end of the night. We will come in tomorrow and prepare for Jenkins. We have to execute and be disciplined, no matter what they do. It’s one thing to scheme it up, but we have to go out there and execute and be disciplined in how we play our game.”