Lamar Wilkerson didn't want to come out with the Three Rivers men's basketball team clinging to a late lead Tuesday night.
After taking a charge in the final minute, Wilkerson reluctantly checked out but returned after the Raiders missed a pair of one-and-one chances at the line leading by five.
"We didn't make a lot of free throws and I know he's going to make his," Raiders coach Brian Bess said.
He did just that, sinking both free throws with 30 seconds left to finish off a 62-53 win over Lincoln Trail at the Libla Family Sports Complex.
"That's a tough guy," said Keith Kiner of Wilkerson. "He wants it bad."
Three Rivers outscored the Statesmen 16-3 over the final 7 1/2 minutes, not giving up a field goal after a putback with 2:36 to play as the Raiders rallied from a four-point deficit.
The Raiders (4-2) won their third straight game with each decided by single digits after a four-point road loss.
"A lot of close games and that's going to be the style we're going to play," Bess said.
Wilkerson scored a game-high 19 points with four assists and three steals while Kiner had 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Paul Greene was two rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points while Kinyon Hodges added nine points.
Three Rivers overcame a 4 of 16 shooting night from 3-point range by attacking the basket, even though the Raiders only attempted 13 free throws and didn't get to the line in the second half until the 4-minute mark.
"They weren't calling many fouls but still, it was an advantage to go to the basket," Bess said. "They made some tough shots, I thought, and then we were able to get to the bucket and down late, we were not going to let them get to the bucket."
Said Kiner, "It was tough. It was really physical for sure."
Wilkerson broke a tie at the free-throw line, got a steal and found Lamont Jackson for a layin with 3:44 to go.
After the Statesmen (3-2) got within a point on a putback by Clint Wickliffe, Kiner was sent to the line where he sank the first but missed the second, only to get another shot on a lane violation. Kiner made the second shot and Wilkerson got a steal as the Raiders pressed, making a basket over a defender that sent Wilkerson falling to the court.
Up 57-52 after a shaken Wilkerson missed his foul shot, the Raiders later turned the ball over but Wilkerson took a charge with 49 seconds to go.
Lincoln Trail, which sank 7 of 21 shots from 3-point range, missed from long distance but Three Rivers missed the front end of a one-and-one twice before Wilkerson returned. Shannon Strickland later added a free throw before two more from Greene to set the final score.
"I thought Shannon was really good there," Bess said. "Maybe on the stat sheet you don't see that but he actually was really good on the defensive end at times."
There were nine lead changes and six ties with the Statemen owning the largest lead of the first half at 18-11 following a 6-0 run and a 4 1/2-minute scoring drought by the Raiders.
Three Rivers ended the half with a 9-3 run to lead 30-29 at the break after a steal and dunk by Greene.
A 9-0 run put the Statesmen up 45-40 with just under 12 minutes to play but the Raiders later scored six straight, taking the lead on an alley-oop dunk from Greene to Kiner with 7:46 to go.
Wendell DeMyers sank a corner 3 and Greg Jenkins, who scored 10 points, later stole the ball back at midcourt and scored for a 50-46 Statesman lead. Seconds later they committed their first foul of the half and Kiner sank a pull-up jumper with 6:27 to go.
Said Kiner, "There's something about us, that dog in us, that once we get down we've been trained don't bet against us."
Three Rivers travels to second-ranked John A. Logan (Ill.) for a 3 p.m. tipoff Saturday. The Volunteers beat the Raiders 76-66 earlier this month and are 4-0 heading to No. 23 Mineral Area tonight.
Brian Rosener - Daily American Republic