POPLAR BLUFF - A couple of minutes made all the difference for the Jeffco Vikings against Three Rivers Wednesday night.

LaQuinta Jefferson scored 11 of her 15 points and recorded all four of her steals during a 15-0 run as Jeffco needed just 91 seconds to erase a nine-point deficit early in the second half and defeat the Lady Raiders 84-73 in a Region XVI contest at the Bess Activity Center.

Three Rivers took a 38-29 lead on Whitney Mills’ basket with 18:53 left in the game, but Jefferson and the Vikings took over from there.

Jefferson converted steals into baskets on three of five possessions and added a pair of free throws on another to tie the game with 17:22 to go in the contest, then took another steal to the hoop less than a minute later to give Jeffco the lead for good. Jefferson then added two more free throws and Mhykeah Baez hit a basket to cap the run and make it 44-38 with 15:58 showing on the clock.

The Lady Raiders (8-13, 1-4 XVI) did not go away, narrowing the deficit to 47-45 on Carolyn Overton’s free throw with 13:57 remaining, but Jeffco answered with an 11-3 run to take a 58-48 lead on Lashonda Littleton’s free throws midway through the second half.

Overton’s basket with 8:51 remaining cut the Three Rivers deficit to 59-55, but came no closer and the Vikings added a 10-0 run late in the game to put the game on ice.

Earlier in the game, it was the Lady Raiders who made a run, going on an 8-0 run to wipe out an early deficit and take a 27-21 lead after back-to-back baskets by Overton with 3:07 left in the first half.

However, Jeffco (18-4, 4-2) fought back, getting six straight points from Littleton in the final 47 seconds of the first half to trail by just one point (30-29) before Tazonda Gibbs hit a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer.

Overton then hit a 3 in the opening minute of the second half and Mills added a basket with 18:53 remaining in the game, setting the stage for Jefferson’s heroics for the Vikings.

Overton had a game-high 19 points for Three Rivers, while Mills tossed in 18 and Brooke Godsey finished with 10.

Littleton paced Jeffco with 18 points, while Rayven Brooks added 17, Jasmine Crawford chipped in 13 – and five steals – and Baez concluded the night with 10 points.

The Lady Raiders are back in action Saturday night when they host Region XVI foe State Fair in their annual Pink-Out Game for breast cancer awareness. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and will receive $1 off admission if they do. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at the Bess Activity Center.

For more information on everything Three Rivers Athletics, make sure to visit RaidersAthletics.com!