Lady Raiders begin home stretch

The home stretch of the regular season has arrived for the Three Rivers College women’s basketball team.

With just four games left in the regular season, every game from here on out is a region game for the Lady Raiders, who enter tonight’s game at Crowder with a 21-4 record and a 6-2 record in Region 16 play.

“We’re in our last stage of playing everybody for the third and final time in region play,” Three Rivers coach Alex Wiggs said. “And this is just as important as the first and second (times) — if not more important, because we control our own destiny so to speak.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re preparing and that we’re ready each game because the winner of the region in the regular season gets to host the region tournament — and that just sets us up in a better situation for the region tournament.”

If the Lady Raiders win out, they will win the regular-season region crown and the postseason home court which comes along with it. Simple enough, right?

Not quite.

First, while Crowder currently sits in the region cellar, the Roughriders upset State Fair last week — and State Fair beat Three Rivers last month. So, not so simple.

Wait, there’s more.

The Lady Raiders’ last two regular-season games are at State Fair next Wednesday — the same Lady Roadrunners who handed Three Rivers its first region loss last month — at at home March 2 against Mineral Area, who entered this week with a half-game lead over the Lady Raiders in the region standings.

“Everybody’s taken a major step forward as far as all the region teams, all the region coaches and all that stuff,” Wiggs said. “The region is really good as far as you’ve got to make sure that you are locked in mentally and that you’re prepared.”

WEAVER HONORED

Three Rivers freshman Alexia “Lexie” Weaver was recently named the Region 16 Player of the Week after averaging 14 points, three rebounds and three assists in the Lady Raiders’ two games last week. She sank 11 out of 12 free throws in TRC’s 70-49 win over region leader Mineral Area last Wednesday.

IN THE RANKINGS

The Lady Raiders again sit at No. 13 in the NJCAA national rankings this week, while Mineral Area drops to 23rd after its loss at TRC last Wednesday. Hutchinson (Kansas) remains at No. 1 and is the nation’s last undefeated team.