Richmond’s Caitlin Kendrick, left, plays defense on Spruce Mountain’s Jaycee Cole during a game on Monday at Richmond High School. (Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Photo)

RICHMOND — Spruce Mountain held the Richmond High School girls’ basketball team to zero field goals over a nine-plus minute stretch of the first and second quarters.

At the half, the score still read Bobcats 16, Phoenix 13.

But the visitors had a third-quarter answer, using a full-court press defense to change the tide en route to a 37-27 Mountain Valley Conference victory.

The Phoenix departed Richmond with a 3-1 early-season record, while the Bobcats are still in search of their first win after their fourth straight setback.

“Second half, we came with our pressure. We had a defensive goal, and tonight we surpassed that,” said Spruce Mountain coach Zach Keene. “We were tentative in the first half, but we relaxed and knocked down some shots in the second half. Defensively, we were great, 27 points is as good as it gets.”

For Richmond, it was another contest where the shots didn’t fall, with the Bobcats making just nine field goals on 47 attempts (19 percent).

“We are having a hard time putting the ball into the bucket,” Richmond coach Mike Ladner said. “The kids are trying, it just isn’t happening. It is frustrating for them and for me as their coach. It is just a matter of making the easy buckets when they are there.”

The early going of the opening quarter went back and forth, with Richmond grabbing a 4-3 lead on a steal and bucket by Hannah Moholland.

Inside, Bobcat Macy Carver answered a 3-pointer by Haley Turcotte to draw Richmond to 7-6.

That was it offensively for the hosts, with Spruce Mountain tallying the final three points of the opening frame for a 10-6 lead.

Richmond’s Lindsie Irish sank a pair of free throws two minutes into the second quarter, but Jaycee Cole answered with a trey for a 13-8 Spruce Mountain edge.

Fortunately for the Bobcats, that was the only points of the second quarter for the Phoenix, and when Richmond put up eight points over a 90-second period, the Bobcats held a 16-13 halftime lead.

“There was a three- or four-minute stretch where we got lackadaisical, and we had three starters in foul trouble,” said Keene. “Richmond is a proud program, proud community, and we knew this would be a battle. They were going to scratch and claw.”

Carver led the way for Richmond with nine first-half points.

SECOND-HALF PRESS

The Phoenix switched to a press to open the second half, and the strategy paid off. Richmond committed seven turnovers in the third quarter and made just 2-of-14 from the floor, while Spruce Mountain found its range, receiving five points from Turcotte and four off the bench from Abbie Ortiz for a 30-20 lead after 24 minutes.

“The first part of the second half we knew was going to be big, and it turned out that it was,” said Turcotte after leading her team to a 17-4 scoring advantage in the third quarter. “Our main focus on the day was defense, and we knew if we could get stops we could go to the offensive end and have whatever happens happen.”

In the fourth, Richmond continued to miss its chances despite working hard on the boards, with the Bobcats holding a 31-26 rebounding edge.

“We had our chances, good looks, just didn’t finish. Hopefully we will get it worked out. We go right back to work at Winthrop on Wednesday (7 p.m.),” said Ladner.

Turcotte had a game-high 11 points in the win, while Calley Baker picked up nine points, and Cole and Ortiz six points apiece. Baker added nine rebounds, with Julianne Doiron adding six caroms. Cole dished out four assists, with Emily White having five steals.

“This is big. Going into the Christmas break, we wanted to pick up as many wins as we could. This was certainly a test for us,” Turcotte said.

“Any win on the road is a good win,” added Keene, whose Phoenix host Telstar on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

For Richmond, Carver’s nine points was tops, with Caitlin Kendrick adding seven and Moholland six. Kendrick added 10 rebounds, while Moholland had nine boards and three steals, Bryanne Lancaster five rebounds and four steals, and Carver five caroms.

Richmond’s Macy Carver, left, and Lindsie Irish, center, play defense on Spruce Mountain’s Julianne Doiron during a game on Monday at Richmond High School. (Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Photo)