Kyle A. Pillar – Sports Editor

LAURINBURG — From the moment Olivia Brown scored Richmond Senior High School’s first points of the game just 23 seconds into the first quarter, Tuesday’s game belonged to the Lady Raiders. 

Continuing its rivalry with neighboring Scotland High School, Richmond cruised to a running-clock win in the non-conference matchup. 

Keeping the Lady Scots winless on the season, the Lady Raiders dismantled Scotland 64-9. 

Senior point guard Jasiah Gilchrist, who scored a season-high 23 points, began the running clock with 7:04 left in the third quarter when she made a free throw. 

A total of seven players scored for Richmond, including double digits from Brown (11 points) and senior J’Nasia Neal (10 points). Junior Madisen Jackson added eight points. 

Junior Iyana Little and freshman Amiah Streeter each had five points and junior Armoni Walden rounded out the scoring with two points. 

Richmond’s defense was suffocating all game long, forcing turnovers that led to fast and easy transition points. 

Five players scored in the first quarter, which saw Richmond open the game on a 16-0 run. Brown started the scoring with a triple from the right wing, followed by a Little free throw and a putback by Jackson for her first points. 

Back-to-back field goals by Neal, the latter of which resulted from a steal at half court, put Richmond up by double digits with 4:25 left in the quarter. 

Grabbing her own rebound on the next possession, Jackson added a bucket to make it 12-0. The Lady Raiders’ final four points of the quarter were scored in transition, one basket each from Neal and Gilchrist, both following a steal. 

Scotland finally got on the board with 49 seconds left with a layup. The Lady Scots scored again to make the score 16-4 in favor of Richmond at the end of the first. 

Outscoring Scotland 26-4 in the second quarter, the Lady Raiders took a 42-8 lead at the break. Gilchrist had eight of her 10 first-half points in the second stanza. 

The Lady Fighting Scots (0-4) netted the first points of the quarter, but that started a 22-0 run by Richmond that spanned to the 60-second mark of the half. Beginning that run was Brown, who splashed down her final triple of the half from the left side. 

Streeter joined the scoring barrage with five straight points on a putback and a three-pointer in the left corner. Field goals from Brown, Jackson and Neal, all results of Scotland turnovers, put Richmond up 30-6 and forced a Scotland timeout. 

Ending the big run were two Gilchrist buckets, a shot under the rim by Little and Walden’s two points. Scotland scored its final basket of the half with 37 seconds remaining.

Gilchrist ended the scoring in the half with a free throw and a three-pointer from distance at the buzzer.

The running clock started after Gilchrist was fouled going to the hoop less than a minute into the third quarter. Even with the accelerated clock, Richmond managed to outscore Scotland 16-1 in the third. 

Gilchrist led the way with 11 points in the frame, with all of her buckets coming in transition after the early free throw. Jackson and Neal both had a basket and Brown added a shot from the charity stripe.

Only six points were scored in the entire fourth quarter. Three Lady Raiders — Brown, Gilchrist and Little — found the cylinder one time.

The Lady Raiders (2-1) return to their home court Friday to host the Lady Fighting Scots (0-4). Going for the series sweep, the game will start at 6 p.m.

Sports editor’s note: The Richmond Observer will publish a JV Lady Raider basketball article Wednesday.