By Jeff Moeller, sports correspondent
The Richmond Hill girls’ and boys’ basketball teams are looking at their recent histories in the upcoming GHSA Class 6A Region 1 tournament in different ways.
The girls’ team won their first-round game and later captured the region consolation to advance to the state tournament, while the boys’ team lost to Colquitt County, their opponent this year.
The sixth-seeded Richmond Hill’s girls unit (10-15) will travel to third-seeded Camden County (17-8) Monday night, and the sixth-seed boys’ squad (13-12) will play at third-seeded Colquitt County (9-15) Tuesday.
Richmond Hill girls’ head coach Sarah Jones expects to again see a combative Camden team. The Wildcats dropped a 43-34 decision to them Jan. 6 and later, 55-35 on Jan. 27.
“They are going to play really hard and be aggressive,” Jones said. “They run a ton of different defenses and presses throughout the game, so on our end, it’s going to be a matter of reading and executing our offenses to set us up for high percentage shots.
“Defensively we really have to keep them from attacking us and boxing out and limiting them to one shot each time down the floor.”
Senior center Cullen McCormick, who is the team’s leading scorer (9.9) and rebounder (9.1) is confident her team can prove the third time will be the charm against Camden.
“I see the game as a big challenge, but we’re ready for it,” said McCormick. “Camden will be well prepared. We have to limit our mistakes and cut down on their fast breaks. We have to move the ball quickly and utilize all options. We will have to be creative.”
McCormick and her teammates will look to dictate the game’s pace.
“We have to play our game and be strong on defense,” added McCormick. “We’re a strong half-court defensive team. We have to stick to what we know, stay disciplined, and limit our mistakes. If we do, we can put ourselves in a great position to win and be in the fight until the end. We’re not ready to go home yet.”
Richmond Hill boys’ head coach Bill Henderson sees a similar picture for his opponent. The Wildcats split their regular-season games, losing at home, 44-42, on Jan. 9 and winning at Colquitt, 49-38, on Jan. 30.
“They are well coached, tough and physical,” Henderson emphasized. “They have two guards that require a lot of attention on the defensive end so we are going to have to be focused and disciplined.
“We are healthy, which is a blessing this time of year. We had three really good days of practice last week after the Lowndes loss and are focused on making the most of the opportunity that we have.”
Senior guard Josh Mock, their leading scorer averaging 14.1 points per game, believes a steady defensive effort combined with a consistent offensive effort can advance them to the next round.
“We can slow them down by cutting off the right hand of their leading scorer and forcing him to shoot threes (three-pointers), as he didn’t make the four three he shot in his last game,” said Mock. “They have a strong force inside with their size. But if we clean up turnovers, rebound stronger, continue to attack the rim, and play confidently, we can turn it into a comfortable win.”