AUGUSTA — Sometimes effort can only carry you so far.
After getting shut out 16-0 in the first quarter, the fifth-seeded Richmond boys’ basketball team drew within three points early in the fourth. Then fourth-ranked Seacoast Christian pulled away again for a 49-39 victory Saturday in a Western Class D boys’ basketball quarterfinal at the Augusta Civic Center.
“Coming into the game we were definitely a little surprised how it was like to play up here and it really translated into a poor first half. We got out to a really slow start,” Richmond senior captain Cameron Emmons said. “In the second half we finally woke up and I’m proud of my guys for putting up a big fight and making a comeback.”
After trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half, Richmond cut the deficit to 34-31 on a three-point play from freshman Zach Small with 6:15 remaining.
That would be as close as it would get. Tim Yeaton of Seacoast Christian (17-2) scored six unanswered and all eight in an 8-2 run that spanned 3:15 that followed Small’s basket.
Small finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Bobcats (11-8) and Emmons poured in 10 points. Bailey Johansen had just one basket but did finish with a game-high 12 rebounds.
Yeaton finished with a game-high 16 points for the Guardians, while Caleb Lacroix had 14 points and Isaac Lacroix 13.
“We lost our composure a little bit toward the end,” Richmond Coach Jonathan Spear said. “It doesn’t help to put yourself in a hole like that but we certainly fought back and I thought we put ourselves in a position to be in that game. We just let things get away at the end.”
Richmond struggled to solve Seacoast’s 2-3 zone defense throughout the first half. The Bobcats were 0 of 8 from the floor and turned the ball over seven times in the first quarter.
“We just weren’t making shots, we weren’t running anything and I think we were a little jammed up,” Johansen said. “We were just nervous.
“It was just one of those games where you just can’t shoot. It’s tough to shoot in here; you have to adjust to it quick.”
The Bobcats didn’t score until Johansen’s bucket in the paint with 5:40 left in the half that cut the Guardians’ lead to 18-2. Seacoast led 25-7 at the break.
“Credit to Seacoast Christian, their zone was a pretty active zone so it was getting in our face and not allowing us to get a lot of open shots,” Spear said. “The few shots that we did get open we weren’t making, so the nerves were a big thing.
“I’m super, super proud of (my players). When you only score seven points in the first half it’s not a good start, but I told these guys I believe in them.”
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