Lady Rebels’ historic season comes to an end in Final 4 loss to Ingomar
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Richton senior Rakhiya Moody is shown forcing a turnover against Ingomar during Final 4 action in Jackson on Monday.
Photo by CHRIS TODD – For The Dispatch
By STAN CALDWELL – Dispatch Correspondent
JACKSON – The Richton girls went toe-to-toe with Ingomar Monday afternoon in the Mississippi Coliseum. But in the end the Falcons held off RHS to claim a 55-47 decision in the MHSAA Class A Final Four and bring the Rebels’ magical season to a close.
Richton’s run at a state title ended with the loss, but the Rebels’
Richton’s Dherria Barlow is shown putting up a shot Monday afternoon in the Mississippi Coliseum.
Photo by RICK TODD – For The Dispatch
29-2 overall record and undefeated Region 8-A Championship will be one to remember. As for Ingomar, the 33-2 Falcons will play Okolona in search of the school’s third consecutive state championship, hoping to add a 1A title to back-to-back titles in Class 2A the past two seasons.
“When you play championship-level basketball, with a great team like Ingomar, sometimes the ball just doesn’t roll your way,” said Richton coach Otto Crawford. “We got into a period where we couldn’t score.
“But tip your hat to Ingomar. They’re a great team, and today just wasn’t our day.”
The Rebels got off to a quick 3-0 lead on their first possession of the game, when senior Rakhiya Moody hit a 3-point shot from the left side.
But the Falcons answered on the next trip down the floor with a 3-ball by senior Bella Phifer, then forced turnovers on four straight possessions.
Freshman center Peyton Wray took steals on back-to-back inbounds plays for two easy layups for a 7-0 run. Wray, a solid 5-foot-11 gave Richton fits all game, finishing with 18 points and 7 rebounds.
“She plays the post like a post player should,” Crawford said. “She had, I think, 14 points in the first half, and that got them off to a good start. When you add Phifer and their little wing (junior Tyrani Jones), they have a good three-man game, and they’re tough to stop.”
Indeed, the Falcons converted 7 of 13 shots from the field in the first quarter and 5 of 11 in the second quarter.
Still, Richton trailed just 16-11 after the first period, and quickly tied the game on a 3-pointer and a 6-foot jump shot in the lane by senior Nylah Robins.
Rebel senior Nylah Robins is shown putting up a shot over an Ingomar defender in the semifinals of the MHSAA Class A State Championship Tournament.
Photo by CHRIS TODD – For The Dispatch
“We were a little nervous at the start,” said Robins, who had 15 points for Richton. “But we don’t back down to anybody. We feel like we belong wherever we are. We know what we’re capable of, and we knew what we could do.”
But it was all Ingomar the rest of the first half, as the Falcons went on a 13-to-2 run to reassume command.
Senior Dailen Grisham hit a short shot in the lane , then got a steal and a putback layup by Wray, then Phifer nailed a trey and Wray put Ingomar ahead 29-18 with 1:40 to play in the second quarter.
“We were able to get to the basket, but putting the ball in the hole wasn’t going right for us at times,” said Moody. “We couldn’t finish at the rim consistently. Defensively, we tried to stay off of them, but they were good at getting their shots.”
Ingomar led 31-21 at halftime, and led by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, but Richton refused to fold, rallying behind Moody and Robins.
Richton’s Nylah Robins fights to work past a Falcon defender in the Rebels’ loss to Ingomar in the state semi-finals.
Photo by CHRIS TODD – For The Dispatch
Senior Dherria Barlow drove the lane for a layup, then after a turnover, Robins connected on a 3-ball, Moody drew a foul and made both free throws to cut the deficit to 45-38.
“They’re a pretty good team, but I thought we kept up with them for the most part,” said Robins. “We just fell a bit short. They made more plays than we did.”
And on the next possession, Jones swished a 3-point shot from the left baseline to give the Falcons breathing room.
The Rebels closed the gap to 53-47 with 2:35 to play on a three-point play by Robins, but Phifer answered with a pair of foul shots, then Ingomar played keepaway with the ball. Richton missed its last two shots from the field when the Rebels did get possession.
The Lady Rebels have thrilled fans all season as they rolled to 29 wins. These Rebel fans did all they could do in the Mississippi Coliseum on Monday to show love for the girls’ effort.
Photo by CHRIS TODD – For The Dispatch
Phifer added 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Jones had 9 points for Ingomar. Barlow finished with 8 points for Richton
“Ingomar’s a great team, and you have to clicking on all cylinders with a championship team like that,” Crawford said. “But we have a great group of kids who worked hard through the summer to develop our identity, mesh with each other and get to the Final Four.
“It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but when you get to the Big House, you’re doing something right.”
And Moody had the last word on a historic season for Richton. Moody came to the Rebels two years ago from Greene County, and she was a difference-maker, finishing with 15 points and 8 rebounds.
“It has been so much more than I expected it to be,” said Moody. “I’ve had a great two years here, and I love this team.”
Senior Rakhiya Moody capped off her career as a Rebel with a solid performance in the season-ending loss to Ingomar. She is shown here fighting through a foul to get off a shot.
Photo by CHRIS TODD – For The Dispatch
