It took LindenwoodBelleville JV nearly 8 minutes to get its first field goal. By that point, the Raiders were already cruising. Three Rivers scored the first 11 points and got 32 points off 25 turnovers as it rolled to a 114-28 win on Thursday at the Libla Family Sports Complex. "It was nice because we got to work on a lot of stuff, practice a lot of stuff to get better for the next games," Three Rivers' Hannah Thurmon said. "There were new things that we've put in so we're really trying to focus on that instead of just going out there and blowing them out. We did, but we tried to focus on the little things that the coaches taught us to do." Everyone played at least 10 minutes and scored as the team shot 54.9% from the field while holding the Lynx to 17.2% shooting.

Deanay Watson led Three Rivers wit 20 points as five Raiders finished in double figures. Chaylea Mosby came off the bench and earned a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She also led Three Rivers with six assists and three steals. Katelyn South was 7 for 10 shooting for 18 points, Autumn Dodd had 14 points and Jamiyah Thomas got 11. The Three Rivers bench scored 71 points compared to two for the two-person Lynx bench. The Raiders also had 66 points in the paint and 26 secondchance points thanks to 17 offensive rebounds. The game allowed Three Rivers to work different things, including a recently implemented offensive rebounding scheme that has all five players trying for the rebound. Whereas Three Rivers previously would send some people to rebound and drop others back on defense, now, everyone tries for the rebound but each player is to stay even with their man defense opponent.

If the person guarding you runs out on the break, you run with them to prevent a fast break. If they rebound, you rebound. It also puts the Raiders in position to immediately setup their press. "From what I've seen, it's going to help," Three Rivers coach Jeff Walk said. Olivia Jecty had 10 points and nine rebounds to lead Lindenwood-Belleville. A consistently lopsided contest, Three Rivers beat the Lynx by 68 on Nov. 13, by 76 at the Bess Activity Center last year and by at least 29 in each of the past 11 contests. The last relatively close game was in December 2014, a year when the Raiders finished 7-20 including two wins against Lindenwood-Belleville. Three Rivers won at Lindenwood-Belleville by 14 points. "Does it help us?" Walk said of lopsided games against Lindenwood-Belleville. "One thing it does, we're allowed to beat on someone else other than ourselves in practice."

Thursday was the most points Three Rivers has scored in a game since it scored 118 points four years ago against Missouri Baptist JV. "As soon as we leave the room, just forget it happened and get prepared for the next one," Watson said. On Thursday, Jordan Little scored 20 seconds in and followed that with a 3 to open for Three Rivers. An'Nyah Pettus scored, Deanay Watson and Katelyn South scored off turnovers, and suddenly Three Rivers had scored 11 unanswered points in the first 5 minutes with four different Raiders getting baskets.

Lindenwood-Belleville got its first points with a pair of free throws following South's basket, and its first field goal was a layup with 2 1/2 minutes left in the quarter. The Raiders had three different double-digit runs in the first half. Hannah Thurmon made a 3 to start the second quarter that put the Raiders ahead by 21, and Autumn Dodd made a 3 with a minute left to put the Raiders ahead by 32, capping a 10-point run at the time and matching Three Rivers' biggest lead of the first half. That lead swelled to 40 points 4 1/2 minutes into the third quarter, to 50 a minute after that, to 60 a minute after that and to 70 just before the buzzer as Three Rivers outscored the Lynx 42-6 in the third quarter. Thomas scored with 5 1/2 minutes left in the game to put Three Rivers over 100 points for the fourth time this season.

Scott Borkgren - Daily American Republic