Richmond Heights used a dominating 50-26 win over visiting Wellington on Tuesday to advance to Saturday’s Division VI district championship game.
With the win, the Spartans improved to 16-5 on the year.
“I was most proud of our defense,” said Richmond Heights coach Eugene White. “Our goal was to make sure number 12 didn’t beat us, and I thought we did a great job.”
The Spartans jumped out to a 14-1 lead early with incredible shooting from beyond the arc.
Honor Hall scored 15 points, 12 of which came from behind the arc, and Mya Johnson contributed with five assists helping Richmond Heights take a 21-8 advantage at the end of the first.
“We practice our outside shot every day,” White said. “We try to make it competitive where if you don’t beat the person you’re working out with, you’ve gotta’ run sprints”
Raquel Dickson continued the barrage from deep to start the second.
The Spartans’ defense and rebounding was on display with Hall recording seven first-half rebounds and forcing three jump balls. Nalasha Comer had four rebounds and a steal to go along with Johnson’s two steals.
“One of the things we constantly talk about is having to box out and rebound,” White said. “If you listen to the game, you hear me constantly getting a body on somebody and playing physical when a shot goes up. I feel that if we can hold teams to one shot with our speed, we will be in any game we play.”
Leading by 12 at the half, the Spartans went back to work in the third.
Dickson had six points in the frame with a rebound and two forced turnovers. Johnson added two steals and four assists, bringing her total to 10 in the game.
In the final frame, Johnson took over a large portion of the offensive output with seven points. She also forced three turnovers, including a steal and a coast-to-coast layup, and she drew a charge on the other end.
The Spartan defense surrendered only 10 points in the second half, highlighted by only three in the third quarter.
“I think the number one thing is that we probably condition more than anybody in the state of Ohio,” White said of the defensive intensity throughout the game. “We run about 100 sprints every day.”
White also credited the team’s scrimmages against Richmond Heights’ dominant boys squad in practice to improve their overall defensive abilities in games.
Hall led the way with 20 points and nine boards followed by 15 from Dickson and a 10-point double-double and five steals from Johnson. Comer added three points to go along with eight rebounds.
“It’s a good thing knowing you have a kid who can get 20, but we know she can go get 40,” White said of Hall’s performance. “Once she develops that killer instinct, you’re gonna’ see something really special because she’s a phenomenal talent.”
As the Spartans keep dancing and enter familiar territory in the district championship round of the bracket, they know the job is not finished and are hungry to push for a state title.
“We have to keep focusing on the details, playing as a unit, and believing what the coaches are talking about each day,” White said. “We’re back in the district final; we were there last year. We need to get one win at a time and if we win seven, we win the whole thing.”
The third-seeded Spartans advanced to play No. 6 Columbia in Saturday’s district championship game. Tip-off at Norwayne High School is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
