SO FAR, SO GOOD: Raiders, Lady Raiders off to strong starts on hardwood

William Patterson (14) and the Three Rivers College men’s basketball team are off to their best start in several years, thanks in part to a smothering defense which has allowed less than 60 points per game.

DAR/Mike Buhler

The junior college basketball season is just three weeks old, but so far, it’s been a good ride for the black and gold of Three Rivers College.

Not only are the Raiders and Lady Raiders a combined 11-3 (6-2 for the men and 5-1 for the women), but both teams are arguably just a basket or two away from being undefeated.

The TRC women’s lone loss of the season was a 76-73 overtime setback to the Wabash Valley Lady Warriors on Nov. 2 at the Libla Family Sports Complex. The Lady Raiders led the No. 4 team in the country by four points with 44 seconds left in regulation, but Wabash Valley tied the score at 64 on a 3-pointer by Beautiful Waheed to force the extra session.

Just how good are the Lady Warriors? Not only are they ranked fourth in the country, but Three Rivers is the only team to get within 20 points of beating them this season.

And other than that loss to Wabash Valley, the Lady Raiders have dominated their opponents. In its five wins, Three Rivers has won all of its games by at least 26 points, with the average margin being 37 points.

The Lady Raiders have also benefitted from a balanced attack, as 10 players on the roster are averaging at least 5 1/2 points per contest, with sophomore Kaleigh “KT” Thompson leading the team at 12.5 points per game. Three Rivers also holds a 43-31 rebounding edge per contest, with nine players averaging three or more rebounds per contest.

But that success from the Lady Raiders was expected this year, as the women’s team has qualified for the national tournament five of the last six seasons and four years in a row, which ties a school record set by the men’s team in 1981.

However, the 6-2 start by the men’s team — the best start by the Raiders in almost a decade — has been a pleasant surprise, to say the least. Three Rivers has had just two winning seasons (2019-20 and 2021-22) since its last region title in 2017 and finished 14-18 last season.

So what has been the key to the Raiders’ success under new head coach Robert Kirby? One must look at the team’s defense.

Three Rivers is holding opponents to just 58.6 points per game and has allowed just one opponent — Link Year Prep — to score 70 points. In five of their eight contests, the Raiders have allowed less than 60 points. Three Rivers also averages 8.63 steals per game and has blocked 50 shots this season outrebounding its opponents by 12 boards per game.

Like the women, the Raiders also have a balanced scoring attack. Seven players are averaging between five and 13 points per game, led by 13 points per game from freshman Matt Hampton. Meanwhile, eight players are averaging between three and five rebounds per game.

And also like the women, the Three Rivers men’s losses have been close contests against undefeated competition. The Raiders lost 57-56 to Southeastern (Iowa) on Nov. 9 after a last-second shot, then fell 69-61 in overtime three days later at Lincoln Trail in Robinson, Illinois. Southeastern is also ranked 15th in the most recent NJCAA poll.

Granted, the season is far from over. Both teams have tough competition ahead — the women host No. 6 Shelton State on Friday in one of the best women’s junior college matchups of the season, then take on No. 19 Trinity Valley in Texas a week from Saturday.

Meanwhile, the men face off with No. 12 Northeastern Oklahoma A&M next Saturday at the Libla Family Sports Complex and close the 2024 portion of their schedule on Dec. 13 at home against No. 13 Jones College of Mississippi.

But so far, it’s been a good ride. Let’s see where it goes.