Defensive effort leads Lady Raiders to big win over State Fair

Three Rivers sophomore Laylah Reese (23) shoots in front of State Fair’s Ellie Buscher during Saturday’s Region XVI women’s basketball game at the Libla Family Sports Complex.

DAR/Mike Buhler

The Three Rivers College women’s basketball team used a fast start by Lexi Weaver and a smothering defense to stay undefeated in Region XVI play on Saturday.

Weaver scored the Lady Raiders’ first 10 points of the game as Three Rivers held the State Fair Lady Roadrunners to just 25% shooting from the field on the way to a 72-47 victory Saturday at the Libla Family Sports Complex.

With the win, the Lady Raiders improve to 15-2 on the season and 2-0 in Region XVI play. TRC has also won seven in a row.

Weaver’s hot start was a big reason Three Rivers sprinted out to a 13-4 lead midway through the opening period and led 19-9 by quarter’s end.

The Lady Raiders kept it up in the second period and led 33-19 at the intermission, TRC then used a strong third quarter to take a 20-point lead (53-33) to the final period.

Three Rivers shot 40% (25-for-62) for the game and committed just nine turnovers while the Lady Roadrunners turned the ball over 21 times. State Fair did hold a 44-32 edge on the board, however.

Weaver finished the game with 17 points for the Lady Raiders, while Laylah Reese added 11, Jasmine Davis had nine, the duo of Sydnei Marshall and Brittani Wells added eight apiece and the pairing of Kaleigh Thompson and Courtney Bluitt finished with six each.

Wells had six assists, while Thompson, Reese, Samari Taylor and Yannie Flemings each had five rebounds, Thompson blocked two shots and the duo of Reese and Wells each had a pair of steals.

Shae Wright led State Fair (15-3, 1-2 Region XVI) with 11 points, while Sophia Edwin added 10 and Kayla Sullivan had eight. Wright and Ellie Buscher each had nine rebounds, while Sullivan added eight.

Three Rivers is back in action this Saturday when it heads to Mineral Area for another Region XVI contest. Tipoff time is set for 5 p.m. at the Bob Sechrest Fieldhouse in Park Hills.

Notes: After Saturday’s women’s game, a moment of silence was held in memory of TRC cheerleader Ashlie Correll, who died unexpectedly the previously weekend. Several Three Rivers women’s and men’s basketball players wore pink ribbons on their jerseys in memory of Correll. … Crowder leads Region XVI with a 3-0 record, one-half game ahead of the Lady Raiders. The two teams meet next Wednesday in Neosho. Moberly is 2-2 in Region XVI play and Mineral Area is 0-3.