Cannon School overcomes North Raleigh Christian, wins NCISAA girls championship

Langston Wertz Jr.
·1 min read

Cannon School won its first girls basketball state championship Saturday.

The Cougars trailed at halftime but turned things around to post a 53-39 win over North Raleigh Christian with a big push in the third quarter. Down the stretch, when the Knights tried to rally, the Cougars answered with a flurry of big 3-point shots — usually from McDonald’s All-American Reigan Richardson or senior Sydney Wood.

Richardson finished with a game-high 24 points in her final high school game. She’ll play at Georgia next season. Wood had 12, courtesy of four made 3-pointers. She made two put-away 3s in the final minute.

Cannon’s Reigan Richardson (3) looks for the turnaround jump shot during early 2nd quarter action. Cannon would host North Raleigh Christian in the NCISAA State Championship game Saturday Feb 27, 2021.
Cannon’s Reigan Richardson (3) looks for the turnaround jump shot during early 2nd quarter action. Cannon would host North Raleigh Christian in the NCISAA State Championship game Saturday Feb 27, 2021.

“I can’t take all the credit,” Richardson said. “My teammates did all they could to win and I’ve got to give them props for that.”

Cannon (20-5) was the only team to beat North Raleigh (19-2) all season. Cannon won 44-33 in the regular-season.

Saturday, North Raleigh trailed early but gained a lead behind 6-4 junior center Imani Lester, daughter of former N.C. State Wolfpack center Avie Lester, who played for the Wolfpack in the late ‘80s.

Lester finished with 16 points and Emma Finster had 12. North Raleigh led 22-19 at halftime, but only managed 17 points in the second half.

Afterwards, Richardson said she was happy to play — and finish — this season in a pandemic. And she was happy to make history.

“Just playing this year was a blessing,” she said. “We would get closer and closer to the championship every year, and this year we knew we had it. I’s an honor.”