BUCKFIELD

So far so good for Richmond boys coach Phil Houdlette.

In his return to the high school boys basketball bench, the Bobcats have come out strong, improving to 4-0 with a 63-41 East-West Conference victory over Buckfield on Friday.

Zach Small, who had 23 points, five rebounds and two steals against the Bucks, feels Houdlette has brought balance to the Bobcats.

“We have a team that has bought in,” said Small, who said Houdlette is family. “He is my great uncle. We have learned balance and discipline from him. We are playing very balanced and we each have a role.”

“When we share the basketball we are good,” said Houdlette, whose five starters combined for 53 points against the Bucks. “We dig in defensively and take care of the basketball. That is when we are at our best.”

Against Buckfield, a 12-0 run in the opening quarter put Richmond in control. After Small and Buckfield’s Jacob Kraske traded 3-pointers, Matt Holt scored off a rebound and Small added nine straight points for a 15- 3 lead.

Richmond forced Buckfield into seven first-quarter turnovers and led 17-6 after Matt Rines stole a pass and scored on the other end.

“If the other teams can’t score, you won’t lose,” said Houdlette of his team’s defense that forced 27 Buckfield turnovers and held the Bucks to 33-percent shooting (15-of-45). “You have to execute, especially when the chips are down and you’re not getting the easy shots, then we work on the plays that we have gone over.”

Buckfield hung around in the second quarter thanks to its efforts from behind the arc. The Bucks nailed five treys in the opening half, including two each from Kraske and Noah Wiley, whose banked 3-pointer moved Buckfield (0-3) to within six points, 20-14.

But, Richmond found another gear, with Nate Kendrick coming off the bench to hit a pair of 3- pointers and Cody Tribbet making four straight free throws for a 34-21 lead at the half.

“We have five guys out there that at any point of a game can take over,” said Small, who had 15 points at the break. “Any one of us can lead. Plus we have four guys off the bench that step right in.”

Third-quarter surge

Any hopes Buckfield had faded quickly in the third quarter, as Richmond exploded out of the gate with a 14- 3 run. By the time the quarter came to an end, the Bobcats had extended out to a 59- 35 advantage. Small had eight points in the frame, with Holt adding six, Tribbet five and Rines four. At the foul line, the Bobcats through 24 minutes were 16-of-19.

“What I am trying to do with them is get them to play together as a unit,” said Houdlette. “Everybody is going to make mistakes. We are all going to make mistakes, but I am trying to have them limit them as much as possible and take care of the basketball and get the best quality shot that we can.

“It comes down to defense and rebounding. If you do those two things, you will have success.”

“We are small, but we move the ball well and are fast and athletic,” said Small.

Kraske had a solid game for Buckfield with 16 points, while Zack Grover scored eight of his 11 points in the second half. Wiley added eight points, all coming in the in the first half, and pulled down seven boards.

A challenge for Houdlette has been filling the holes left by a pair of injuries.

“We had a big loss with Zack Marseglia, who had surgery on his shoulder and is lost for the season,” said the coach. “Then we lost Isaac Cappen against Islesboro, and he is going to have shoulder surgery. But we can still go nine players, but working together will certainly take some time.”

Holt had 10 points and five steals for Richmond, with Tribbet adding nine points and two assists. Rines had a solid game, picking up eight points and leading the Bobcats with nine rebounds and four steals. Brendan Emmons chipped in six boards and three steals.

Richmond was 20-of-48 (41 percent) from the floor and held a 31-24 rebounding edge.

Richmond 63,
Buckfield 41

Friday at Buckfield
Richmond — 17 17 25 4 — 63
Buckfield — 6 15 14 6 — 41
Richmond — Cody Tribbet 1-6-9,
Matt Rines 4-0-8, Zach Small 8-5-23,
Brendan Emmons 0-3-3, Matt Holt 4-
2-10, Nate Kendrick 2-0-6, Nick
Adams 1-0-2, Nick Ridenour 0-1-1,
Casey Gorman 0-1-1. Totals — 20-
18-63.
Buckfield — Matt Beaucage 0-0-0,
Ethan Jackson 1-0-2, Jacob Kraske
5-4-16, Zack Grover 4-0-11, Kyle
Charest 1-0-2, Noah Wiley 3-0-8,
Simon Burch 1-0-2, Tyler Gammon 0-
0-0, Patrick Howe 0-0-0, Derek Salisbury 0-0-0, Daniel Perry 0-0-0. Totals
— 15-4-41.
3-point field goals — (R) Small 2,
Kendrick 2, Tribbet; (B) Grover 3,
Kraske 2, Wiley 2.
Records — Richmond 4-0, Buckfield
0-3.
Up next for the Bobcats — Tuesday
at home against St. Dom’s, 7 p.m.