Three Rivers, Northeast Mississippi Set for Showdown at Harvey Childers Classic

BOONEVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — A surging Three Rivers Raiders squad will look to extend its winning streak against a Northeast Mississippi Tigers team seeking consistency when the junior college men’s basketball programs meet Saturday in the Harvey Childers Classic.

The Raiders (9-4) enter on a five-game win streak, most recently defeating Southwestern Illinois 71-55 on Dec. 7. The Tigers (4-4) aim to rebound from a 69-84 road loss to Lawson State on Dec. 5.

Three Rivers’ recent success has been fueled by balanced contributions. In the win over Southwestern Illinois, Drew Ward scored 20 points with four assists and two blocks, Johann Pautsch added a double-double with 10 rebounds and eight points, and Matt Hampton distributed eight assists.

Ward, a key player to watch for the Raiders, is coming off his highest-scoring performance of the season. Over the last six games, the guard has shown versatility, averaging 7.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

Northeast Mississippi will counter with its own standout in guard Javion Stephen. He is averaging 17.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season, including a 25-point effort in the loss to Lawson State. Stephen has scored 24 or more points in two of his last three contests.

The Tigers have shown flashes, with a road win over Mississippi Delta on Dec. 2, but have alternated wins and losses over their past six games. Three Rivers’ streak includes victories over Wabash Valley, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and East Mississippi during a late-November tournament.

This non-conference matchup serves as a final tune-up for both teams before resuming their respective region schedules next week. Three Rivers travels to face John A. Logan on Tuesday, while Northeast Mississippi hosts Wallace State the same day.

Saturday’s game tips off at 4 p.m. EST at Northeast Mississippi’s Bonner Arnold Coliseum.