Smith’s late putback, block lift Lady Raiders

Smith’s late putback, block lift Lady Raiders

SEDALIA, Mo. — Joya Smith went into the season without ever having made a game-winning shot. Now she's got two. With 18 seconds left, Olivia Crane made a pair of free throws for Three Rivers College to tie State Fair Community College for the 14th time. Michael Everhart soon stole the ball from Alexis Cowan and Three Rivers called a timeout. Ge'Naisha Robinson, Three Rivers' leading scorer with 27 points, got the ball and took a drive for a quick shot with 11 seconds on the clock. Smith slid in on the weak side, grabbed the offensive rebound and stuck the putback to put Three Rivers ahead. However, there was still 9 seconds to go. The Lady Roadrunners put the ball in Cowan's hands again. The Lady Raiders didn't get the steal this time. Instead, Smith came up with her sixth block of the game to seal the 74-72 win on Friday afternoon. "It was just a great basketball game," Three Rivers coach Jeff Walk said. "It's your typical region game. On the road and the kids responded." Smith's go-ahead bucket was her second field goal against State Fair and she finished with five points over 29 minutes. She also had nine rebounds, four of them offensive, and two assists. "We have some other folks before that who stepped up big time," said Walk, highlighting Crane's free throws and Everhart's steal in the final possessions. "The last 30 seconds was great plays on both sides." Robinson's 27 points matched a career high. Crane came off the bench and added 12 points in 17 minutes of playing time. There were 12 lead changes after the Lady Raiders had to play from behind after trailing 9-2 early. Crane sank a 3 with a minute to go in the first quarter to give Three Rivers its first lead. Three Rivers managed to stay in front, always by single digits, until Cowan buried a 3 following a Lady Raider turnover with 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter.