Three Rivers women score 110 points in season-opener

Rocky Raider leads the Three Rivers Raiders onto the court to open the season against John A. Logan on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, at the Libla Family Sports Complex in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

DAILY AMERICAN REPUBLIC/Scott Borkgren

Well, that was easy.

Three Rivers coach Alex Wiggs picked up his first head coaching win in comfortable fashion as the Raiders beat John A. Logan 110-60 on Saturday at the Libla Family Sports Complex.

“Definitely from the start, proud of the girls, proud of the way they came out. I thought their intensity, communication, those are the things we talked about. Attitude, effort and communication, that stuff was really good from the start of the game,” Wiggs said.

The Raiders (1-0) scored the first 13 points, were up by 20 before the end of the first quarter, and by more than 40 at halftime.

Myia Yelder led the Raiders with 24 points and five assists. She had six of the team’s 22 turnovers but did not make a turnover in the second half. Yelder was 6 for 11 shooting and 9 for 10 on free throws.

Joi Montgomery, filling the role of graduated Raider Deanay Watson, had a double-double in her Three Rivers debut.

Montgomery was 5 for 8 shooing for 11 points and 10 rebounds, five of them offensive. She also had four assists and tied Chaylea Mosby for the team lead in steals with four.

Three Rivers ended up with six players in double figures as everyone on the team played at least 8 minutes and seven played more than 15.

Kierra Thornton came off the bench and finished with 19 points and three rebounds while also playing a team-high 24 minutes.

Autumn Dodd also came off the bench and finished with 10 points, four rebounds and a steal over 20 minutes.

Mosby was 6 for 11 shooting for 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists to go with her four steals while Jamiyah Thomas was 5 for 6 shooing for 10 points and three rebounds.

“I think a few of us were a little bit nervous at first, but toward the end of the first quarter, we shook off the nerves and we got back in the rhythm of how we just normally play,” Three Rivers sophomore Jamiyah Thomas said.

Yelder had 14 points in the first quarter, including seven of the Raiders’ first 10. She was in double figures seven minutes into the game after sinking her second 3.

“This year, I feel like I’m having to lead more so I’m constantly going, going, trying to go hard and give attitude and effort,” Yelder said.

Mosby put back a missed free throw with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game to give Three Rivers 100 points.

Diamond Taylor led John A. Logan (0-1) with 12 points. Kayla Walker, Bianna Snorton and NaTracia Ceaser each had 11 points.

The Raider bench had 44 points compared to nine from the Volunteers. Three Rivers was also plus-28 in points off turnovers, plus-34 on points in the paint and plus-11 on second-chance points.

“We’ve got quite a few that can play,” Wiggs said. “I thought everybody who stepped out on the floor competed and did their job.”

Three Rivers next plays at John A. Logan on Thursday. The Raiders return to the Libla Family Sports Complex on Feb. 6 against Arkansas Baptist and will host State Fair on Feb. 10 in Three Rivers’ Region XVI kickoff.