POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (Interstat) — A spot in the Region 16 championship game will be on the line Thursday when the Three Rivers Raiders host the State Fair Roadrunners in the NJCAA tournament semifinals.

The Raiders (17-10), seeded higher by virtue of their stronger regular season, will look to leverage home court advantage at the Libla Family Sports Complex. They are led by standout guard Matt Hampton, who enters the postseason in strong form. Over his last five games, Hampton is averaging 15.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per contest. His most recent outing was a 19-point, 8-rebound, 6-assist effort in a narrow 73-71 road loss to Missouri State-West Plains on Feb. 28.

The Roadrunners (10-12) arrive as the lower seed but carry the confidence of a recent head-to-head victory. On Feb. 14, State Fair edged Three Rivers 74-72 on its home floor, a game in which Hampton had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists for the Raiders. The season series is split 2-1 in favor of Three Rivers, which won decisively in the other two meetings, including a 67-49 home win on Jan. 28.

State Fair is coming off a 59-53 win over Moberly Area on Feb. 25, which snapped a two-game skid. Their path to the semifinals included a 64-56 road win at Missouri State-West Plains on Feb. 21, demonstrating an ability to win in tough environments.

For Three Rivers, consistency will be key after a streaky regular season. Following a three-game winning streak in early February, the Raiders dropped their final two contests, including the close loss to West Plains and a 61-53 home defeat to Mineral Area.

The winner will advance to the Region 16 championship game, one step from the NJCAA national tournament. Thursday’s semifinal tips off at 7 p.m. Central Time.