WINNSBORO – The Richard Winn boys did not have the same success as the girls in the opening the day of their Truvista Christmas Tournament. The South Aiken Crusaders hopped out to lead and did not let up until they had the 58-47 win.
Lane Bickett (31) carefully maneuvers through the post. | DeAnna Robinson
Richard Winn scored the game’s first bucket but did not hit the bottom of the net again until the two minute mark. Lane Bickett had all of Richard Winn’s six first quarter points.
Logan Johnson had the hot hand early for the Crusaders, and his eight point first-quarter led South Aiken to a crucial early 19-6 lead. Richard Winn never recovered from the early Crusader onslaught.
“Well it’s been our M-O all year to get off to slow starts,” Eagles’ head coach Russell Price said. “It’s tough every time you dig a hole and then have to try to fight, fight, fight, and we fought and cut it to one in the fourth, but a couple missed opportunities here and there.”
Noah Edwards sunk a couple of three pointers that helped spark some life into the Richard Winn offense during the second quarter. Hudson Wade had seven points in the second, and by halftime Richard Winn had cut the lead down to five.
Despite a brilliant 12-point, third-quarter performance by Crusader Caleb Leverette, the Eagles continued to cut the lead down. Richard Winn trailed by just three at the end of the third quarter, and they opened the fourth making it a one-point game.
Leverette put the dagger in the hopes of the Richard Winn comeback with two three pointers, and five more points from the free-throw stripe. Leverette had 23 of his game high 31 points in the second half.
“He hit us for 32 the first night,” Price said. “We contested and then we left him a couple of times, and he hit it. He’s good player. Sometimes our defense makes him even better than what he really is.”
The Eagles looked to get back in the win column with day-two match-up against Holly Hill.
“Forget about it,” Price said. “You go in there and tell them forget about last night and come back tomorrow.”
Following the TruVista Tournament, the Eagles break for holidays. They return to action for a road game against Palmetto Christian on Jan. 3 and host region foe King Academy on Friday, Jan. 5.
SAB – 19-11-13-15 – 58
RWA – 6-19-15-7 – 47
RWA – Lane Bickett -14, Hudson Wade -15, Noah Edwards -8, Ethan McManus -2, Zack Taylor -2, Jimmy McKeown -6.
SAB – Caleb Leverette -31, Logan Johnson -15, Adam Buchanan -3,Richard Minichan -5, Baker Yarnell -2, Mark-David Pitts -1, Collin Winkler -1.