Coming off their most complete game of the season the Richmond Hill boys could not build on the momentum generated off their 66-60 win over Camden County on Tuesday when they took on Colquitt County Friday night at Wildcat Arena.
“We talked about how that was the best we had played in a long time,” Coach Bill Henderson said of his post-game remarks following the Region 1-6A win over Camden. “We had great chemistry.
“We’ve done much better (this season) in the chemistry department but you also have to have consistency,” Henderson said. “I think our biggest downfall this year has been (lack of) consistency.
“We play great one game and not the next. We play great for three quarters and not for one…play a great first quarter and not a great second quarter. That comes back to get you.”
And that’s what happened to the Wildcats with the end result being a 44-42 loss to the Packers in a see-saw game which saw 13 lead changes and four ties.
“They took advantage of their opportunities,” Henderson said. “We had some opportunities I’m sure we would like to have back. We shot some shots that maybe weren’t the best shots. In close games every possession is super important.”
Alonzo Miller, coming off an outstanding 20-point, 14 rebound performance against Camden, scored 14 points to lead the Wildcats. Senior Josh Mock, who had 15 points and 14 rebounds in Tuesday’s game, scored 12 and Brandon French added 10, seven coming at the foul line.
Richmond Hill (8-7, 1-2) concluded a three-game homestand Tuesday night against Lowndes County. The Vikings (13-5, 3-0) held down first-place in the region off knocking off Valdosta, 47-37, Saturday afternoon.
Following their game with Lowndes the Wildcats will go on the road for games at Tift County and Southeast Bulloch before playing Valdosta at home on Jan. 23 to open the second go-round of the region schedule.
The game with the Packers was similar to several of the losses the Wildcats have endured in what has been a frustrating season: It was their fourth loss by five or fewer points. The other three were by nine, 13 and 14 but none were blowouts.
Richmond Hill’s non-region losses have come against teams having good seasons: Statesboro (10-1), Brunswick (15-2) and Ware County (12-2). It also lost at Jenkins (6-7) by nine points.
The Wildcats have the distinction of handing Statesboro its only loss. A 67-65 loss at Brunswick was a two-overtime affair.
After spotting the Packers a quick 7-2 lead the Wildcats got the lead for the first time as they scored six straight points. French hit a 3-pointer, Drew Nudo made a free throw and Mock drove past his defender to lay one in off the glass.
From there on it was a nip-and-tuck affair with neither team being able to take a lead and sustain it.
Richmond Hill had the biggest lead of the game by either team at 21-15 but the Packers fought back for a 22-21 lead with 2:52 left in the half before Miller scored for a 23-22 halftime lead.
Colquitt was up by two, 35-33, going into the fourth and the two teams were content to swap leads with Richmond Hill holding its last lead at 42-40 when Mock scored down low with 3:02 on the clock.
With the Wildcats failing to score in the final three minutes Colquitt got what proved to be the winning points when Jayln Pace scored off a turnover with 2:15 to play. Pace scored 12 to lead the Packers.
Richmond Hill forced two turnovers in the last 28 seconds but could not convert, the second coming with four seconds to play when it got the ball out of bounds under its own basket but had to force up a shot.
