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Posted: Jan 31, 2016

UNSELFISH STATESMEN RACK UP ASSISTS IN 88-60 WIN OVER LENOIR

UNSELFISH STATESMEN RACK UP ASSISTS IN 88-60 WIN OVER LENOIR
Audio Box Score Preview
Game Leaders
Lenoir Community College
Pts: Gianpaolo Riccio - 17
Reb: Gianpaolo Riccio - 5
Ast: Randy Johnson - 4
Richard Bland College
Pts: Devin Smith - 20
Reb: Team - 9
Ast: Gerard Dean-McBride - 9
Team Stats
Full stats

PETERSBURG, Va., (January 31, 2016) – In a display of unselfish team basketball, the Richard Bland College men's basketball team earned a season-best 29 assists on its 37 made field goals, en route to an 88-60 Region X Conference victory over Lenoir Community College on Sunday afternoon at Statesman Hall.

The Statesmen filled the statistical sheet with superlatives, shooting 54 percent for the game, outrebounding its opponent 45-26 and committing a season low nine turnovers in the victory.
 

The win was the second in as many days for Richard Bland, which defeated Guilford Tech 90-68 on the road Saturday afternoon. Richard Bland improves to 11-10, 7-4, while Lenoir drops to 3-14, 1-10. The Statesmen are back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 3 visiting Vance-Granville Community College at 7 p.m. Lenoir hosts Bryant & Stratton on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.

"It was a great team effort today," said head coach Chuck Moore. "Having 29 assists is a stat that screams at me. We played unselfish basketball and that helped us turn it up against Lenoir."
 

The Lancers jumped out quickly and held an 8-2 lead at 17:54 mark of the first half, then the Statesmen buckled down and the complexion of the game changed dramatically.  

Richard Bland built a 53-34 lead at halftime, essentially putting the Lancers in a severe deficit in the second half. Sophomore captain Troy Gibson (Newport News, VA/Heritage) scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half. Fellow sophomore Devin Smith (Baltimore, MD/Randallstown), who tallied 12 of his game-high 20 points in the first half, spearheaded a 33-23 RBC lead at 6:55 minute mark of the first half. The Statesmen cruised to their 19-point halftime lead in the final four minutes of the first half on the strength of a layup by freshman Myles Markland (Chesterfield, VA/Matoaca), and two buckets from freshman Harrison Mitchell (Hampton, VA/Phoebus), who made presence known that past weekend after not playing since Dec. 5 due to injury.
 

"Harrison plays so hard and does a lot of the intangibles that help win basketball games," said Moore. "It's great having him back."

Lenoir trailed from 15 to 20 points throughout the second half. Increased Richard Bland defensive pressure led to easy baskets in transition. With 4:51 remaining in the game, the Statesmen led by 34 points, 84-50, following a single free throw by Gibson.
 

Petersburg native Gevon Arrington (Petersburg, VA/Petersburg), complimented the 20 and 16-point outings by Smith and Gibson respectively, with 13 points. Sophomore guard Gerard Dean-McBride had 12 points and nine assists, giving him 31 assists in his last three games.

Gianpaolo Riccio led Lenoir with 17 points and five rebounds.