PARK HILLS, Mo. — The Three Rivers women's basketball team and Moberly Area went into the Region XVI Showdown at Mineral Area ranked and undefeated, but only one team came out with a goose egg in the loss column on Friday.

The fourth-ranked Raiders proved to be that team as they earned a 67-54 victory to stay perfect at 8-0.

"I thought we battled on both ends of the floor," Three Rivers head coach Alex Wiggs said. "We might have lost the rebound battle with them having 45 and we had 36, but we were three points behind them in second-chance opportunities with seven. I'm very proud of the way they battled."

Myia Yelder led the Raiders with 26 points next to her name on the scoresheet.

"I just know that Moberly is a good team and for some reason I'm just more focused when we play them," Yelder said. "My teammates really helped me get open to take those shots. When they're playing hard, it definitely makes it easier for them to find me."

Joi Montgomery was the only other Raider in double figures with 10 points.

Jamiyah Thomas and Jenna McMillen combined for 15 out of Three Rivers' 20 points off the bench with eight and seven respectively.

Three Rivers took the lead and never looked back from the start as they were up 12-3 when 18th-ranked Moberly Area (6-1) called a timeout with 2:35 remaining in the first quarter.

After play restarted, tempers flared a little as Moberly Area's Bi'Anna Pettis was handed a double-technical for throwing a punch.

"For the past three years, the Region Championship has come down to Three Rivers and Moberly," Wiggs said. "These are two programs that know each other very well and we knew it was going to be physical going in. So we had to come in prepared and we were."

After the first 10 minutes were said and done, the Raiders were ahead 13-5.

When the second quarter got underway, the Greyhounds got to within a score, but were shutout for the final 3:51 of the first half as the Raiders went into the break with a 34-24 lead.

The Raiders pulled away and never looked back in the second half as they closed out the third quarter with a 50-37 advantage and they held on for the win.

Three Rivers will have a quick turnaround as they'll face host Mineral Area at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Sechrest Fieldhouse.

"Mineral Area is another very good team that's well coached," Wiggs said. "We'll be playing them on their home court so we've got to come in not back on our heels, we've got to be ready to go."

Robert Augsdorfer - Daily American Republic