Our Sonic-Player-of-the-Game for Thursday, November 30, is Anthony Richardson of the Eastside (Gainesville) boys’ basketball team.
The sophomore started slow but finished strong in helping lead the Rams to a 61-44 win against city rival Buchholz on Thursday night in front of a packed house at Eastside.
Richardson finished with a game-high 19 points, scoring 11 of those points in the second half as the Rams improved to 2-0 on the season.
He ignited the spark in the second quarter with a two-handed slam dunk on an alley-oop pass from junior James Pope as Eastside built a double-digit lead at 27-16. The Rams would go on to outscore Buchholz, 24-2, in a decisive second quarter in building a 34-18 halftime lead.
Richardson, who only one point in the opening quarter, scored all eight points for Eastside in the third quarter, outscoring the Bobcats (0-1) himself, 8-6, in the quarter for a 42-24 lead.
Eastside is back in action on Friday at Belleview for a Class 6A-District 6 game.
The Rams return home on Friday, Dec. 8, to face the Rattlers for a second time (broadcast on 92.1 FM radio in Gainesville & video online via the NFHS Network).
Every game The Prep Zone will recognize a Sonic Player-of-the-Game. The recipient receives a $10 gift card & certificate courtesy of Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville & Ocala.
