The Richmond Red Devils opened their regular season under first year head coach Gabrielle “Gabby” Smith on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with a 47-35 road win over the New Castle Trojans. The Trojans, mired in an 11-game losing streak entering the season, have gone to a youth movement to rebuild their program and do not have a senior on their roster. Richmond, on the other hand, has six seniors and their experience and leadership, especially in the second half, was key to the outcome of the game.
Richmond was clinging to a 14-13 lead late in the second quarter in a hard-fought defensive battle when Jade Diamond sank a 3-pointer with eight seconds remaining to propel the Red Devils to a 17-13 halftime lead.
The youthful Trojans battled back to take a 22-21 lead in the third quarter off a steal and 3-point play from freshman guard Carlee Lanzer. It turned out to be the last lead the Trojans would enjoy. The Red Devils quickly responded. Sophie Reising scored inside. Jade Diamond sank a 3-pointer at the 3:35 mark, and after a Trojan free throw, Amyannah Tucker buried a long range 3-pointer to push the Red Devil advantage to 29-23.
The Red Devils took a 30-26 advantage into the final period and used their experience and defensive pressure to dominate the fourth quarter, out-scoring the Trojans 17-9 en route to a 47-35 win.
Tucker led Richmond and all game scorers with 14 points. Reising scored 10 points and Maren Bolser and Kiarra Handley each scored 7 points. Lanzer led the Trojans with 13 points; Kaidyn Minyard scored 12 points.
Richmond head coach Gabby Smith was complimentary of the opposing coach and her team.
“I did not have a lot of preconceived notions going into this game,” Smith said. “I knew we had talent and experience and I tried to prepare my team to be the best they could be. I did not know much about New Castle, so I concentrated on what we could do. I love my girls and knew that we would play hard. We controlled what we could control. New Castle coach Bobby Jones is an awesome coach and we expected him to try to play a disruptive defense. I was proud of the way my girls handled the pressure.”
Richmond (1-0) 12 5 13 17 47
Jazlin Diamond 0, Jade Diamond 6, Cami Turpin 2, Shaylon Sexton 0, Amari Jackson 1, Reising 10, Handley 7, Tucker 14, Bolser 7, Jayden Johnson 0 — Total 47
New Castle (0-1) 9 4 13 9 35
Alana Orr 5, Lanzer 13, Kaitlyn Cunningham 2, Piper Arthur 2, Madelyn Raymond 1, Mallory Owens 0, Minyard 12 — Total 35
JV Results: New Castle 36 (Shelly Beck 10), Richmond (Nytasia Russell 6) 17
A version of this article appeared in the November 13 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.