C Jemal Horton
CONCORD – On Tuesday night, Reigan Richardson thrust herself into the conversation for being the greatest girls basketball player to come out of Cabarrus County.
jhorton@independenttribune.com
I’m sure that sentence will make a lot of you arch your backs and say, “Wait a minute!”
But Richardson, a Cannon School senior and University of Georgia signee, just might stand atop the heap of a mountain of great basketball players from here.
She’ll have her final high school moment in the sun on Saturday, when she leads the Cougars into the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 4A championship game against North Raleigh Christian Academy, but Richardson has already distinguished herself among Cabarrus County’s best.
Now, I don’t know who would win a one-on-one contest.
Maybe it’s Kelsee Cheek, the former Jay M. Robinson star and the county’s all-time leading public-school scorer among girls (2,092 points).
Perhaps it’s current West Cabarrus coach Tolonda Simmons, formerly Tolonda Rose, the Cabarrus County Hall of Fame member and former A.L. Brown star who actually used to coach Richardson.
There’s a case for Mahaley Holit, the talented guard who graduated as Central Cabarrus’ all-time leading scorer — among boys and girls — with more than 2,000 points.
During my time with the Independent Tribune, I’ve gotten to see another strong candidate, Zaria Wright from Concord Academy, who fell just 11 points from 3,000 for her career, which began with varsity ball in seventh grade.
But maybe the strongest argument can be made for two players I didn’t see: another seventh-grade varsity starter, Krista Gross, who was Cannon’s first girls basketball star, scoring 4,021 points before signing with North Carolina; and Nyshia Hammonds, the former Concord High standout who went on to shine for the Charlotte 49ers.
Both Gross and Hammonds went on to have professional careers overseas.
And there are a slew of players I didn’t mention here who definitely deserve consideration, so I’ll be expecting a few emails.
Still, I’m saying Richardson might be the best.
I started this column by mentioning Tuesday. Let’s just say few athletes from around these parts have those kinds of days.
The special part started when the Cougars were having their pre-game meal. Cannon coach Kelvin Drakeford gathered his players, and they began watching the McDonald’s All-American Game selection show on the Internet.
Richardson’s name popped on the screen.
History was happening right before their eyes.
With her selection, Richardson became the first girls player in Cabarrus County history to make the McDonald’s All-American Team.
“Oh, my goodness, I cried,” Richardson recalled. “I’ve been dreaming about that for quite a while. That’s what I’ve worked hard for. Just seeing that happen in real life is a dream come true.”
Richardson is the first girl, and she’s just the second McDonald’s All-American the county has produced overall, joining former Cox Mill boys star Wendell Moore Jr. (2019).
In addition, before Tuesday, only eight girls from North Carolina had ever made the McDonald’s game.
Many of the names I mentioned earlier in this column were McDonald’s All-American nominees. But only Richardson actually got the nod, and that’s because she’s quite possibly the highest-rated girls player to come out of Cabarrus County, with only Gross rivaling her.
Now in fairness, the McDonald’s All-American Game didn’t start including girls until 2002. But would any of the Cabarrus girls players who starred before that time have made it? Remember: They only take the 23 best players in the nation.
NCISAA Charlotte Independent ConferenceGirls Basketball: The Cannon Cougars defeated the Charlotte Latin Hawks 57-35 on Saturday afternoon.
The 6-foot-2 Reigan Richardson handles the ball like a point guard.
Anyway, back to Richardson’s Tuesday.
That night, Richardson led Cannon to a victory over Greensboro Day in the state semifinals, putting the Cougar girls in the championship game for what is believed to be the first time.
She finished the game with 32 points, which was no surprise, considering she had a 49-point night earlier this season. But the big thing is that it gave her 2,000 points for her career, which began under the aforementioned Tolonda Simmons at Hickory Ridge and continued under Drakeford at Cannon from her sophomore season.
“I didn’t even know I had 2,000 points,” she said. “It’s so crazy. I knew I had a chance a couple games back, but I didn’t know I was still in the picture until today. It’s just awesome. Not too many people get 2K, so it’s just a blessing.”
Four other Cabarrus female players have gotten “2K,” as Richardson puts it, but her body of work is what makes her unique.
And before the doubters get to chirping, don’t just assume that Richardson has just been dominating inferior competition.
There was a time I was critical of private-school basketball, too. But times have changed. As what we’ve seen with the boys, more and more talented girls are playing on private-school teams for various reasons. So teams are no longer filled with players who couldn’t make a public-school roster.
Private schools are beating public schools in holiday tournaments, and they’re sending plenty of players to Division I college programs. A team in Cannon’s conference is proof, as Charlotte Providence Day annually produces those types of players, who often wind up as pros.
NCISAA Charlotte Independent ConferenceGirls Basketball: The Cannon Cougars defeated the Charlotte Latin Hawks 57-35 on Saturday afternoon.
Reigan Richardson has signed with the University of Georgia.
Lester Barnes | Special to the Independent Tribune
Richardson proved herself by being a starter as a ninth-grader on the best team in the county at that time, Hickory Ridge, and she’s been a bit of a celebrity on the always-tough travel-ball circuit for years.
That’s likely where Georgia first saw her play before offering her a scholarship. As an eighth-grader.
Now, the only thing left for Richardson to accomplish is Saturday.
She’s already my leading candidate, and if she gets a state championship ring Saturday, I would say she sealed the deal as being the greatest Cabarrus has produced.
And even if she doesn’t get a ring, she still might be.
She’s that good.
CONCORD – On Tuesday night, Reigan Richardson thrust herself into the conversation for being the greatest girls basketball player to come out of Cabarrus County.
jhorton@independenttribune.com
I’m sure that sentence will make a lot of you arch your backs and say, “Wait a minute!”
But Richardson, a Cannon School senior and University of Georgia signee, just might stand atop the heap of a mountain of great basketball players from here.
She’ll have her final high school moment in the sun on Saturday, when she leads the Cougars into the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 4A championship game against North Raleigh Christian Academy, but Richardson has already distinguished herself among Cabarrus County’s best.
Now, I don’t know who would win a one-on-one contest.
Maybe it’s Kelsee Cheek, the former Jay M. Robinson star and the county’s all-time leading public-school scorer among girls (2,092 points).
Perhaps it’s current West Cabarrus coach Tolonda Simmons, formerly Tolonda Rose, the Cabarrus County Hall of Fame member and former A.L. Brown star who actually used to coach Richardson.
There’s a case for Mahaley Holit, the talented guard who graduated as Central Cabarrus’ all-time leading scorer — among boys and girls — with more than 2,000 points.
During my time with the Independent Tribune, I’ve gotten to see another strong candidate, Zaria Wright from Concord Academy, who fell just 11 points from 3,000 for her career, which began with varsity ball in seventh grade.
But maybe the strongest argument can be made for two players I didn’t see: another seventh-grade varsity starter, Krista Gross, who was Cannon’s first girls basketball star, scoring 4,021 points before signing with North Carolina; and Nyshia Hammonds, the former Concord High standout who went on to shine for the Charlotte 49ers.
Both Gross and Hammonds went on to have professional careers overseas.
And there are a slew of players I didn’t mention here who definitely deserve consideration, so I’ll be expecting a few emails.
Still, I’m saying Richardson might be the best.
I started this column by mentioning Tuesday. Let’s just say few athletes from around these parts have those kinds of days.
The special part started when the Cougars were having their pre-game meal. Cannon coach Kelvin Drakeford gathered his players, and they began watching the McDonald’s All-American Game selection show on the Internet.
Richardson’s name popped on the screen.
History was happening right before their eyes.
With her selection, Richardson became the first girls player in Cabarrus County history to make the McDonald’s All-American Team.
“Oh, my goodness, I cried,” Richardson recalled. “I’ve been dreaming about that for quite a while. That’s what I’ve worked hard for. Just seeing that happen in real life is a dream come true.”
Richardson is the first girl, and she’s just the second McDonald’s All-American the county has produced overall, joining former Cox Mill boys star Wendell Moore Jr. (2019).
In addition, before Tuesday, only eight girls from North Carolina had ever made the McDonald’s game.
Many of the names I mentioned earlier in this column were McDonald’s All-American nominees. But only Richardson actually got the nod, and that’s because she’s quite possibly the highest-rated girls player to come out of Cabarrus County, with only Gross rivaling her.
Now in fairness, the McDonald’s All-American Game didn’t start including girls until 2002. But would any of the Cabarrus girls players who starred before that time have made it? Remember: They only take the 23 best players in the nation.
NCISAA Charlotte Independent ConferenceGirls Basketball: The Cannon Cougars defeated the Charlotte Latin Hawks 57-35 on Saturday afternoon.
The 6-foot-2 Reigan Richardson handles the ball like a point guard.
Anyway, back to Richardson’s Tuesday.
That night, Richardson led Cannon to a victory over Greensboro Day in the state semifinals, putting the Cougar girls in the championship game for what is believed to be the first time.
She finished the game with 32 points, which was no surprise, considering she had a 49-point night earlier this season. But the big thing is that it gave her 2,000 points for her career, which began under the aforementioned Tolonda Simmons at Hickory Ridge and continued under Drakeford at Cannon from her sophomore season.
“I didn’t even know I had 2,000 points,” she said. “It’s so crazy. I knew I had a chance a couple games back, but I didn’t know I was still in the picture until today. It’s just awesome. Not too many people get 2K, so it’s just a blessing.”
Four other Cabarrus female players have gotten “2K,” as Richardson puts it, but her body of work is what makes her unique.
And before the doubters get to chirping, don’t just assume that Richardson has just been dominating inferior competition.
There was a time I was critical of private-school basketball, too. But times have changed. As what we’ve seen with the boys, more and more talented girls are playing on private-school teams for various reasons. So teams are no longer filled with players who couldn’t make a public-school roster.
Private schools are beating public schools in holiday tournaments, and they’re sending plenty of players to Division I college programs. A team in Cannon’s conference is proof, as Charlotte Providence Day annually produces those types of players, who often wind up as pros.
NCISAA Charlotte Independent ConferenceGirls Basketball: The Cannon Cougars defeated the Charlotte Latin Hawks 57-35 on Saturday afternoon.
Reigan Richardson has signed with the University of Georgia.
Lester Barnes | Special to the Independent Tribune
Richardson proved herself by being a starter as a ninth-grader on the best team in the county at that time, Hickory Ridge, and she’s been a bit of a celebrity on the always-tough travel-ball circuit for years.
That’s likely where Georgia first saw her play before offering her a scholarship. As an eighth-grader.
Now, the only thing left for Richardson to accomplish is Saturday.
She’s already my leading candidate, and if she gets a state championship ring Saturday, I would say she sealed the deal as being the greatest Cabarrus has produced.
And even if she doesn’t get a ring, she still might be.
She’s that good.
