Lower Richland’s Eric Eaves goes in for a layup against Dreher. Photo by Careese Robinson The Lower Richland Diamond Hornets finished the week with another blowout win, defeating the Dreher Blue Devils 74-44 Friday, January 27.

“Dreher gave us all we could handle, but our guys made adjustments. I think our kids played better in the second half,” Lower Richland coach Ezekiel Washington said.

Eric Eaves and Edward Stephens led Lower Richland in scoring with 14 points each. Dreher was led by Tevin Mack who finished with 12.

A 3- pointer by Kendall Taylor and buckets by Mack and Xavier Hampton gave the Blue Devils an early 7-3 lead. It wouldn’t last long. A 10-0 run, highlighted by buckets from Eaves and Brennan Montgomery, gave the Diamond Hornets a sixpoint advantage. Dreher responded with four of the next six points, but a bucket from Vincent Hicklin gave Lower Richland a six-point advantage going into the second quarter.

An 11- 2 run in the second quarter gave the impression that a blowout was coming. Hicklin and Montgomery helped to spur the run. However, Dreher fought back. Buckets from Mack and Grayson Stiglbauer helped the Blue Devils end the quarter on an 8-2 run to close the gap to nine points.

The Diamond Hornets made the halftime adjustments that would blow the game open. Stephens had nine points of a 13-6 run in the first four minutes of the third quarter to turn a single digit lead to a 16- point gap. The lead would grow to 18 at the end of the quarter.

The fourth quarter provided Lower Richland with an opportunity to close the week off in style. Hicklin and Jamar Walker each got into the scoring act as the Diamond Hornets finished off the 30- point win.

The blowout was the second win at home this week, an important step according to Washington.

“You always want to win at home. This is the best crowd we’ve had. Hopefully, they’ll keep coming back because our kids feed off of their energy.”