The Three Rivers College men's basketball team and Mineral Area were tied with 15 minutes left in Wednesday's Region 16 game, but the Cardinals pulled away from there on the way to an 87-68 win at the Libla Family Sports Complex. 

The Raiders (12-13, 3-5 Region 16) tied the game at 47 on Bryce Wallace's basket with just over 15 minutes left in the contest, but Mineral Area answered with a 10-0 run to take control of the game — and take the lead for good.

Three Rivers did not go away, cutting its deficit to 65-58 on Robert Alexander's basket with seven minutes and change to go, then draining a 3-pointer roughly three minutes later to get within 11 points at 75-64. However, the Cardinals (25-1, 8-0) closed the game on a 12-4 run to win going away.

Three Rivers started the game strong, taking an early 6-2 lead on Caleb Young's 3-pointer just 100 seconds into the game.

The Cardinals rallied and took their first lead of the contest at 13-12 on a Josh Neal 3-pointer with just under 12 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half, but TRC fought back, going back in front 21-20 on Kyle Edison's triple with 9:24 left in the half. 

But it would be the last Raiders' lead of the night, as the Cardinals went on a 6-0 run, going up 26-21 on Marcus Watson Jr.'s layup with 7:57 left in the half. 

MAC took a 38-32 lead on Watson's basket with 1:22 left before the intermission, but a free throw by Faheim Meran and two more by Edison made it 40-35 Cardinals at halftime.

As a team. TRC shot just under 40% from the field in the game (23-for-58) and pulled down 31 rebounds, led by six apice from Edison and Young.

Young paced the Raiders with 17 points, while Demetris "Meechie" White had 14, Edison added 11 and` Meran finished with 10.

Three Rivers takes the court again Saturday at Hillsboro against Jefferson. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.

Mike Buhler - Daily American Republic