{"id":9921,"date":"2021-03-08T23:20:32","date_gmt":"2021-03-09T05:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/?p=9921"},"modified":"2021-03-08T23:20:33","modified_gmt":"2021-03-09T05:20:33","slug":"state-bound-no-3-richland-downs-4th-ranked-loretto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/2021\/03\/08\/state-bound-no-3-richland-downs-4th-ranked-loretto\/","title":{"rendered":"State bound: No. 3 Richland downs 4th-ranked Loretto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Maurice Patton<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LYNNVILLE \u2013<\/strong> Greg Tipps recognized Monday\u2019s Class A sectional opponent \u2013 perhaps more than he did his own team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Richland, which had its 2020 season ended one game short of the state tournament by Tipps\u2019 Loretto squad, returned the favor with a 60-41 victory. The Raiders claimed a berth in the state quarterfinals, where they will face North Greene on March 17 at Middle Tennessee State University\u2019s Murphy Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought the whole night, you can tell they have five starters off last year\u2019s substate team, and you could tell we were replacing three,\u201d Tipps said after his Mustangs committed 10 first-half turnovers and trailed for the final 26 minutes of the matchup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re really good. They\u2019re a very experienced team. I thought they imposed their will the majority of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the clash between Associated Press Top 10 foes \u2013 Richland was ranked No. 3 in the final Class A regular-season poll, Loretto No. 4 \u2013 the visitors forged ahead early but turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions, the last two leading to Daniel Nicholson scores that gave the Raiders (26-1) an 11-6 advantage going into the final minute of the opening quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n