RICHMOND

The Richmond High School boys basketball team has lived on solid spurts, where points seem easy to come by and wins keep piling up.

On Saturday in East-West Conference action against Vinalhaven, the Bobcats showed their defensive strength along with an ability to make key free throws when needed.

Richmond improved to 10-0 with a 62-49 victory over the Vikings behind 25 points from Zach Small and 19 from Matt Holt. Cody Tribbet joined them in double figures with 11.

“When we play defense and share the basketball, we do pretty well,” said Richmond coach Phil Houdlette. “I thought we gave up too many easy points today and yesterday (a 70-61 Richmond win over Vinalhaven on Friday). We had a big lead, then we started to settle. When and if we get to the tournament, we can’t go through that.”

After scoring 27 points in the first quarter in Friday’s win, Richmond came out a bit slower in the morning start on Saturday, leading 12-6 behind seven points from Holt and five from Small.

The tempo picked up in the second quarter, with Small picking up eight more points, Holt six and Tribbet four as the Bobcats carried a 30-18 advantage into the intermission.

“We were sluggish, but coach told us that we needed to get it going and we were able to,” said guard Matt Rines, who along with Tribbet caused havoc defensively for Vinalhaven as the duo combined on nine steals and six assists.

Elijah Bireau-Ames paced Vinalhaven (6-4) with six points in the first half, while Cody Hamilton was all over the court for the Vikings throughout.

Hamilton made a pair at the line to open the second half, and Keon Arey’s threepoint play brought the Vikings to 32-23.

But, Richmond found that gear again, going on a quick 8- 0 run to claim control, 40-23. Rines and Small both scored four points in the spurt, with Tribbet assisting three times.

“Cody and Matt are under control, and they both do a good job driving before either going to the basket or dishing,” said Houdlette of Tribbet and Rines.

Richmond began to show a bit of exhaustion later in the third, allowing the Vikings to creep back into the game. A 9- 0 run closed the third quarter, with Hamilton accounting for five points.

“I can’t imagine that they are not tired,” said Houdlette of his Bobcats, who played their fourth game in the past eight days.

Vinalhaven drew to within eight points four times in the fourth quarter, the last coming on a Mikael Stone lay-up with 2:38 remaining.

One more quick spurt by Richmond, an 8-0 run, put the Vikings away for good.

“These wins are huge for us,” said Houdlette. “We were coming off a pair of long road trips (Forest Hills, Valley), then you play on Friday and Saturday. I don’t think they realize how tired that they are.”

“These are big wins, as these two wins will bump us up in the seedings,” said Rines, who finished with seven points and five rebounds.

Hamilton paced Vinalhaven with 15 points, followed by Arey with 12 and Bireau- Ames with six. Hamilton pulled down 10 rebounds and picked up three steals, with Max Stanley dishing out four assists. and Arey hauling in nine caroms.

Richmond was 10-of-11 from the free-throw line, while the Vikings went 13-of-20.

The Bobcats visit Old Orchard Beach on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Friday night

Small led four Richmond players in double figures as the Bobcats captured a Friday win

Small had 18 points, Tribbet 10, Holt 12 and Rines 11 as the Bobcats held quarter leads of 27-8, 39-25 and 57-38.

Stanley paced Vinalhaven with 19 points, with Hamilton adding 17 and Bireau- Ames 10.

At the line, Richmond finished 8-of-14 and Vinalhaven 7-of-15.

Richmond 62,
Vinalhaven 49

Saturday, at Richmond
Vinalhaven — 6 12 14 17 — 49
Richmond — 12 18 12 20 — 62
Vinalhaven — Cody Hamilton 4-7-
15, Max Stanley 1-2-5, Keon Avey 4-
4-12, Elijah Bireau-Ames 2-0-6, Cole
Mills 1-0-2, Mikael Stone 3-0-6,
Adam Dyer 0-0-0, Tim Farnelly 0-0-0,
Jackson Day 0-0-0, Mitchell Hopkins
1-0-3, Keaton Lear 0-0-0. Totals —
16-13-49.
Richmond — Cody Tribbet 5-1-11,
Matt Rines 3-1-7, Zach Small 8-8-25,
Brendan Emmons 0-0-0, Matt Holt 9-
0-19, Casey Gorman 0-0-0, Nate
Kendrick 0-0-0, Nick Ridenour 0-0-0,
Nick Adams 0-0-0. Totals — 25-10-
62.
3-point field goals — (V) Bireau-
Ames 2, Stanley, Hopkins; (R) Small,
Holt.
Records — Richmond 10-0, Vinalhaven 6-4.
Up next for the Bobcats — Wednesday at Old Orchard Beach, 5:30 p.m.