Richmond Senior rode the inside muscle of Shydamian Ellerbe and Jordan Richardson to a 52-46 victory over Durham Hillside in Thursday evening’s title game of the Holiday in the Pines Boys Basketball Tournament.

Ellerbe scored 19 points and tournament MVP Richardson added 11 as the undefeated Raiders (9-0) won the event hosted by Pinecrest for the first time in seven tries. Their best previous finish was third place in 2008.

Defending champion Pinecrest fell 50-39 to Southern Lee in the third place contest. Adam Cummings of the Patriots was an all-tournament selection along with Ellerbe, Ace Chalmers of the Cavaliers, Tyquan Reid of Hillside and D.J. Mason of West Bladen.

Behind the hot hand of Reid, who finished with 17 points, Hillside jumped out to a 15-10 lead against Richmond. The Raiders rallied to take a 29-22 halftime lead as Ellerbe and Richardson scored all but two of the team’s 14 second quarter points.

The Hornets (6-5) fell behind by as many as 11 points in the third period, but a pair of free throws by Reid at the start of the fourth quarter cut the margin to 37-35. The difference was just four points with less than two minutes remaining, but Hornet turnovers and the conversion of five of six free throws sewed it up for the Raiders.

The Patriots played like they were feeling the after effects of Wednesday’s overtime loss to Hillside that denied them a shot at their third tournament championship in the last five years. After Cummings fed Greg Barnes and Justin Ray for baskets and a 4-0 lead they went scoreless until early in the second quarter.

Trailing 29-20 at halftime, the Pats (4-9) never got closer than seven points the rest of the way. Sophomore Chyshad McGriff led the home team with 10 points and eight rebounds. Cav center Josh Mellette broke loose for 23 points and 11 boards.

Fairmont defeated Overhills 80-45 in the fifth place consolation game. West Bladen beat Fuquay-Varina 58-43 for seventh place behind a 26-point performance by Mason.