Daily American Republic

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- After a seven-year hiatus, the Three Rivers Community College men's basketball team is going back to the national championship.

The Raiders qualified for their 13th trip to Hutchinson, Kan., by rolling past Sauk Valley (Ill.) Community College 87-58 Tuesday night. Three Rivers (29-4) will play defending national champion Dixie State at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The Raiders, who won national championships in 1979 and 1992, haven't been to Hutchinson since the 1995 season.

They didn't waste any time ending that drought against the Skyhawks. After falling behind 21-18 early in the first half, Three Rivers rattled off a 20-2 run en route to a 16-point halftime lead that continued to grow in the second half.

Kevin Thomas, a sophomore from Jacksonville, Fla., hit six of the Raiders' 10 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 20 points.

Portageville product William Durden scored 15 on 6-of-13 shooting, and former New Madrid County Central all-stater Dereke Tipler had six steals. Three Rivers shot 41.7 percent from the field and was 17-of-20 at the free- throw line.