This past Monday was one that presented the most difficulties for L.R. because of a change in the final exams schedule.

The school’s first semester final tests were moved up a couple of days so Coach Chip Atkins could only bring 12 players to the semi–final game of the Chick Fil–A Basketball Tournament at Richland Northeast High School.

However, the outcome was positive. L.R.’s record stood at 6–1 after three more victories starting with a win over Aiken. In that battle, a 73–47 triumph over the Green Hornets, Jeremiah Richardson scored 20 points, Mike Jones tossed in 16, and Lavar Tucker notched 10.

In their first tournament game Saturday, a 54–37 win over Leeds (Alabama) High, Richardson’s 17 points and Jones’s 15 topped the scoring.

After trailing Orlando, Florida’s Dr. Phillips High by 15 points, Lower Richland rallied to take the victory 86–82. Richardson drilled home 27 points while Jones had 38. Lower Richland advanced to the Classic II bracket title game to face Keenan, the only school to have defeated L.R. this season. Keenan moved to the championship clash by beating Aiken.

“Jeremiah and Mike are great players,” said Coach Atkins, “but we have others. Going into Monday’s game William McLaughlin had one more rebound than Jones and he scored nine points. Lavar came off the bench and scored seven points and helped us settle down.”

Omar Sanders and Kenny McFadden hit critical three point shots that gave L.R. extra momentum.

“We weren’t worried,” Richardson said about being down midway through the second half. “We don’t care if we’re down by a lot or up by a lot, we just want to go out, play hard and win.”

Jones agreed. “We knew that we could kick in and come back. Coach just told us to be cool and play our game,” he said.

They did.

In the Classic I Bracket game, undefeated host Richland Northeast faced Marlboro County.

The title games were played Wednesday evening, after The Columbia Star ’s publication deadline and will be covered in the December 31 issue.