The Richmond Hill Middle School girls basketball team is having a remarkable run this season and is very close to potentially becoming region champions.
As of this past Wednesday, they are 9-0 and headed to the final four in the playoffs. The team has averaged 32 points a game while only giving up 18. This great season is led by the 10 8th graders on the twelve player roster.
They capped off their regular season last week with a 37-23 win over Burke County on Jan. 9 and a 35-22 win over Ebenezer on Jan. 11. On Jan. 16, they beat Southeast Bulloch 38-8 in the first round of the Coastal Empire Region Championship Tournament.
The Middle Cats played Screven County Friday night in the semi-finals with the winner to advance to the region finals today.
Results of Friday’s game were not available at press time.
"They have worked incredibly hard to achieve their goals and have kept themselves grounded during this dominant run," coach Sean Strickland said. "The girls have played ferocious defense, completely shutting down opposing teams and have been able to put up some impressive numbers offensively. The girls have worked so hard and have out-rebounded every team they have played so far this year."
The team is made up of eighth graders Sarah Goolsby, Lakeshia Durham, Kendra Ford, Keri Edwards, Aliyah Johnson, Breanna Cota, Olivia Bascombe, Jenai’ Polite, Sydney Millek, Trisha Jennings, seventh grader Bailey Crawford and sixth grader Brandy Franklin.
"As a coach it is the most rewarding part to see them play tough underneath the basket and control the boards," Strickland said. "This has been a team that, no matter how hard I work them in practice, they continually want more. They are a very special group. At the start of the year, we set a goal of winning a championship, and right now we have made it into the final four and are two games from achieving it."
The region championship game is today at Effingham Middle School, 1 p.m. tip off.
Online updates will be available at this website after the games Friday and Saturday night.