Raiders can’t hold onto big lead as they fall in OT at MAC

PARK HILLS — It has been a long time since the Three Rivers College men’s basketball team has beaten the Mineral Area Cardinals on their home floor at the Bob Sechrest Fieldhouse — almost six years to be exact.

The Raiders came painfully close to ending that drought Saturday night, opening up a 15-point lead in the second half before faltering late and losing 62-60 in overtime at Mineral Area’s homecoming.

The loss is Three Rivers’ ninth in a row to the Cardinals on their home floor. The Raiders’ last win over Mineral Area in Park Hills came on Feb. 16, 2019.

Meechie White’s free throw with 15:43 left in regulation staked Three Rivers (12-8, 2-2 Region XVI) to a 43-28 lead, but the Cardinals responded with a 14-4 run to cut their deficit to 47-42 on a Joseph Scott dunk with just under nine minutes left in regulation.

Mineral Area (13-8, 2-3) finally tied the score at 57 on B.J. Duling’s layup with four seconds left in regulation and the Raiders could not get a potential game-winning shot off as the game went to overtime.

The extra session was scoreless until White drained a 3-pointer from the corner with 64 seconds left to put the Raiders ahead 60-57 — but it would be the last points Three Rivers scored the rest of the way.

Scott hit two free throws with 32.7 seconds left to cut the Cardinals’ deficit to one point (60-59), then he hit the go-ahead basket with five seconds to go and drew the foul. Scott then completed the three-point play to put Mineral Area ahead 62-60, and a potential game-winning trey by the Raiders fell short as time expired.

Free-throw shooting proved to be a huge factor in Saturday’s game, as Three Rivers shot just 53% from the foul line (10-for-19), while the Cardinals were 88% at the charity stripe (22-for-25).

The Raiders did outrebound Mineral Area 30-28 and also shot 43% from the field (23-for-53), compared to 38% (18-for-47) for the hosts.

William Patterson led Three Rivers with 16 points, while White added 13 and Matt Hampton had 12. Robert Alexander added eight rebounds while Patterson added six and Hampton had five assists and three steals. Alexander and Ali Oralkan each added a pair of steals.

Scott led all scorers with 19 points, while Duling added 11 and East Carter graduate Preston Turner had 10. Scott and Turner also had nine rebounds apiece, while Turner added three steals.

The Raiders are back in action Wednesday night when they head to Missouri State-West Plains for another Region XVI contest. Tipoff time is set for 7 p.m. at the West Plains Civic Center.