WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa — For the third consecutive game, the Three Rivers men's basketball team overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half.
This time, the Raiders were able to complete the comeback Friday afternoon.
Paul Greene sank two free throws after an offensive rebound to break a tie with 20 seconds to play as Three Rivers edged Triton (Ill.) 72-69 in the opening game of the Missouri-Iowa Challenge at Southeastern Iowa Community College.
The Raiders trailed by as much as 14 early in the second half before slowly whittling away at the Trojans' lead.
"Our experience from the last two games is probably the reason why we won this one," Three Rivers coach Brian Bess said.
Lamar Wilkerson scored a game-high 29 points, Keith Kiner added 17 and Kinyon Hodges 11 to lead Three Rivers (2-2). Greene chipped in seven points, all in the final five minutes, and six rebounds.
Bess said Greene, a true freshman from the Bahamas, had not practiced the previous two days with a bruised tailbone but said, "Coach, I'm good," before the game.
The Raiders didn't pull ahead until the final 2 minutes when Greene scored to break a 65-all tie. He was sent to the line with 1:41 left, sinking both free throws for a four-point lead but the Trojans tied it in the final minute.
Daylan Hamilton, who led Triton with 21 points, sank one of his team-high five 3-pointers with 26 seconds remaining.
Wilkerson, who led the Raiders on 9 of 15 shooting from the field, missed a shot but Greene came away with the rebound and was sent to the line where he sank both shots.
Wilkerson then drew an offensive foul and the Raiders were able break a full-court press before Lamont Jackson was sent to the line with 6.8 seconds left. The freshman sank the second attempt for a three-point lead.
Hamilton, who hit on 5 of 6 shots from 3-point range, dribbled to the basket and kicked it out for a corner 3 that missed at the buzzer.
Triton (2-1), which received notes in the national rankings this week, is coming off a 20-4 season after winning the Region IV title before losing the district playoff to Mineral Area.
The Trojans, who won the only other meeting with the Raiders by 10 on Nov. 16, 2018, at Mineral Area, jumped ahead with a 14-4 run at the midpoint of the first half.
Hamilton started the run with a 3 to break a 7-all tie and it ended with consecutive 3s by Tyler Olsen and Kimahri Wilson to put Triton up 24-11.
Bess said Olsen, who scored 11 points, had not previously played this season and was not in the scouting report.
Three Rivers got within five when Wilkerson got a steal and Hodges dunked to cut into the deficit but was instead called for an offensive foul. Christian Wells sank a 3 on the other end but neither team scored over the next three minutes.
Wilkerson ended the drought with a pair of free throws and cut the deficit to 33-29 with a drive to the basket. Olsen answered with a 3 and the Raiders didn't score the rest of the half as Triton scored seven straight to take a 40-29 lead into the break.
"We had a bad two minute stretch at the end of the half," Bess said. "It just wasn't good."
Hamilton's 3 just three minutes into the second half put Triton up 45-31. A putback dunk by Deangelo Elisee later made it a 13-point lead but Kevin Jones sank two free throws for the Raiders before a dunk by Hodges and a fastbreak layin by Kiner after a steal.
Three Rivers missed a chance to get closer and over the next few minutes each time the Raiders did score the Trojans answered.
With eight minutes left, Jones drew an offensive foul and was then fouled, sinking two free throws. Hodges sank a jumper to cut Triton's lead to 57-54. Hodges then stole a loose ball and Jones hurt his knee diving on the court.
Olsen's steal and fastbreak dunk slowed the Raider rally but Strickland later came away with an offensive rebound on a missed free throw and splashed in a long 3-pointer to cut Triton's lead to 63-61 with 4:27 left.
"That was huge," Bess said.
Strickland knocked down a jumper after a turnover by the Trojans to tie the game with 3:45 to play.
After a bucket by Hamilton, the Raiders forced a jump ball off a miss and Wilkerson tied it with 3 minutes left. Olsen missed a 3 before Greene kissed the glass for the Raiders first lead since 4-2.
Three Rivers will face Marshalltown (Iowa) at 1 p.m. Saturday. The event also features MSU-West Plains, State Fair, Moberly Area playing the top teams from Iowa.
"We'll get some scouting done this weekend," Bess said. "It's going to be a beneficial trip reguardless."
Brian Rosener - Daily American Republic