Raiders win Region XVI opener

Three Rivers center William Patterson, seen throwing down a dunk earlier this season, had his first double-double of the season Saturday night as the Raiders defeated Missouri State-West Plains 77-56 in a Region XVI men’s basketball game at the Libla Family Sports Complex.

DAR file/Mike Buhler

The Three Rivers College men’s basketball team used a strong second half to start Region XVI play strong — and to put a rough December in its rearview mirror.

Trailing the Missouri State-West Plains Grizzlies by one point at halftime, the Raiders used a 13-1 run midway through the second half as they pulled away for a 77-56 victory Saturday night at the Libla Family Sports Complex.

The loss also snapped a three-game losing streak by the Raiders (11-6, 1-0 Region XVI), who last won on Dec. 4.

Three Rivers led just 39-37 after the Grizzlies’ Ethan Smith converted a three-point play with 15:15 left in the game, but the Raiders got hot from there on offense and held West Plains (8-9, 1-1) scoreless from the field for more than seven minutes.

Baskets by Johann Pautsch and Meechie White extended the Three Rivers lead to 43-37, then after Grizzlies’ free throw, William Patterson hit a basket and Marial Malek drained a 3-pointer from beyond the top of the key to make it 48-38 with 10:58 left in the game.

Antonio Williams then slammed it home with 10:10 remaining to make it 50-38 and Matt Hampton capped the run with a pair of free throws with 9:26 to go in the game.

Jonathan White hit a fadeaway jumper with 3:44 remaining to cut the Raiders’ lead to 63-51, but a 7-0 run featuring a three-point by Meechie White, a Patterson dunk and two free throws by Patterson made it 70-51 with 2:14 to put the game out of reach.

Three Rivers played one of its best defensive games of the season, holding the Grizzlies to just 27% shooting (13-for-48), including 19% (6-for-32) inside the 3-point line. The Raiders also committed a season-low three turnovers and outrebounded West Plains 44-32.

Patterson and White had 16 points apiece to lead Three Rivers, with Patterson also hauling in 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Patterson also scored 13 points in the final 12 minutes to help the Raiders pull away.

Hampton added nine points and eight rebounds, while Robert “Deuce” Alexander added eight points and seven rebounds and Malek finished with seven points. Malek, Oralkan and Alexander each had a pair of steals in the win.

Shunderrius Glass paced West Plains with 16 points, while Smith added 10 and the duo of Blayne Harris and Ryan Richardson each had seven.

Three Rivers is back in action when it heads to Moberly Wednesday night for a Region XVI contest. Tipoff time is set for 7 p.m.

Notes: The Three Rivers women were slated to play Crowder on Saturday afternoon, but the game was postponed after Friday’s snowstorm and will be made up Feb. 3. … In Region XVI news, the Moberly men improved to 15-3 on the season and 2-0 in Region XVI play as the Greyhounds beat the Mineral Area Cardinals 68-66 Saturday at Mineral Area. The Cardinals fell to 10-7 on the season and 0-2 in region play. … State Fair was slated to host Jefferson Saturday, but the contest was postponed because of Friday’s snowstorm.