RICHMOND

If there is a team in the state of Maine in need of a long day in a hot tub, it is the Richmond High School boys basketball team.

The Bobcats played their fourth game in as many days due to the wacky winter weather that has caused postponements to the schedule. In fact, the East-West Conference game on Friday against Buckfield was rescheduled three times, twice due to weather and once because of a schoolwide flu bug.

For Richmond coach Jon Spear, the long days in the gym this week certainly paid off as the Bobcats rolled to a 59-32 win over the Bucks, who finished 5-13 and will visit Richmond for a rematch in a Western D preliminary game on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Buckfield is the No. 12 seed, while Richmond claimed the fifth spot.

Richmond (11-7) won this one inside the paint, holding a 33-23 advantage on the boards and receiving 14 points and 19 boards from forward Zach Marseglia, and 12 points and seven rebounds from freshman Zach Small.

“We were able to get to a lot of offensive and defensive rebounds tonight,” said Small. “We are all pretty tired. We were able to get our starters out early, and everyone contributed. We all need some rest.”

“They are very tired, and it took us a little while to get going, but I am glad that we have a solid bench and received a lot of solid contributions,” said Richmond coach Jon Spear.

Buckfield first-year coach Mark Thurlow felt his team, which has gone a long stretch without solid practice time, was outplayed in the post.

“We did a poor job in the post, but that is basketball,” said Thurlow. “We will have no scrimmages, get some practices in starting on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. It will be good to finally be able to practice after not being able to because of the bad weather and make-ups.

Sloppy first

The first four minutes of the opening quarter produced a 3-3 tie, with the Bucks making three shots from the free-throw line, with Marseglia putting back an offensive board and Tyler Soucy making 1-of-2 at the line.

Tied 7-7, Richmond claimed the lead for good with six seconds left in the frame on a Marseglia lay-up.

The Bobcats kept coming in the second, scoring the first eight points for a 17-7 advantage. A pair of 3-pointers by Cody Tribbet were key as Richmond extended out to a 24-11 lead, and Cam Emmons finished off the uprising with a short jumper to give the hosts a 30- 16 edge at the intermission.

“The second quarter was huge. It all started with our defensive intensity, which led to some fast-break points. We got some runs going and got those guys some breaks,” said Spear.

Richmond put the game away in the third, opening the quarter with a 9-0 run for a 39-16 edge.

Buckfield’s Tyler Vallee, who scored a team-high 10 points, hit a trey, but the Bobcats answered with an 11-0 spurt for a 31-point lead, 50-19.

Both teams went to their benches in the fourth.

Tribbet was the third member of the Bobcats to score in double figures with 10 points, while Emmons and Matt Rines added five points apiece. Bailey Johansen pulled down five rebounds, and Richmond shot 39 percent (24-of-61) from the field. The Bobcats forced 27 Buckfield turnovers.

The Bucks were 10-of-31 from the floor and 10-for-21 at the free-throw line.

Richmond will likely host a prelim on Wednesday.

Richmond 59,
Buckfield 32

At Richmond
Buckfield— 79 79—32
Richmond — 9 21 20 9 — 59
Buckfield — Aaron Rowe 0-0-0, Alec
Brough 0-0-0. Hunter Wiley 0-2-2,
Tyler Vallee 3-3-10, Jared Eastman 1-
3-5, Jon Randolph 1-1-3, Jake Kraske
1-0-3, Sidney Jackson 4-1-9. Totals
— 10-10-32.
Richmond — Zach Small 4-4-12,
Brendan Emmons 1-0-2, Tyler Soucy
1-1-3, Cam Emmons 2-0-5, Bailey
Johansen 0-0-0, Zach Marseglia 6-2-
14, Cody Tribbet 4-0-10, Matt Rines
2-1-5, Nick Anan 2-0-4, Nate Vintinner 2-0-4, Nate Kendrick 0-0-0. Totals
— 24-8-59.
3-point field goals — (B) Vallee,
Kraske; (R) Tribbet 2, C. Emmons.
Records — Richmond 11-7, Buckfield 5-13.
Up next — Richmond will host a prelim on Wednesday. Time TBA.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.