WEST PLAINS, Mo. — Three Rivers has now won 20 games for the third straight year and for the 41st time in Gene Bess' 47 seasons. The Raiders beat MSU-West Plains 88-83 on Saturday to sweep the season series against the Grizzlies. The Raiders (20-7, 4-3 Region XVI) had to prevent a pair of shots in the final 5 seconds to force overtime when they beat the Grizzlies by three points on Jan. 21 at the Bess Activity Center. Saturday's contest was a little more comfortable. Three Rivers led from start to finish and by double digits through most of the second half. The Raiders committed just two turnovers in the first half compared to 10 by the Grizzlies (11-14, 2-4 XVI), and used the extra possessions to help build an 11-point lead at the break.
"Jeffery Porter drew three charges in the first half and that was huge. That was a game changer," said assistant coach Brian Bess on KOEA radio after the game. Gene Bess, who had knee surgery Feb. 2, was at practice during the week but was not on the bench at the game. He has now missed three games in a row and five in his career at Three Rivers. The Raiders were still ahead that much with 10 minutes to play.
Three Rivers was in the double bonus with more than 8 minutes still to play in the second half and a 14-point lead. The Grizzlies hit a pair of free throws, and Camron Reedus countered with a 3. Pressing late, the Grizzlies were able to cut the lead to eight points with a little more than 2 minutes left only to have Gabe Grant counter with a bucket at the other end. MSU-West Plains' Ricky Torres was fouled on a 3 and made all of them. "When he got going, he got going," Bess said.
The Raiders burned the shot clock before Grant drove baseline and was called for traveling. After a stop, Reedus sank a 3 to get the lead back to 10. The Grizzlies got a 3 and cut the to 5 with 15 seconds to go, got a steal at halfcourt and the layup made it a one possession. They fouled Reedus with 5 seconds still on the clock and he sank both to make it a two possession game and set the final score. "Our bigs got in foul trouble a little bit and that hurt us," Bess said. The Raiders shot 51 percent from the field and outrebounded the Grizzlies' 39-33.
The Raiders have now won four games in a row. It's the first time they've won more that two straight since their 10-game run to open the season was snapped on the final night of the Thanksgiving tournament. In the current run, the Raiders have picked up region wins against MSUWest Plains and State Fair and has shot better than 40 percent in each game.