Print edition: 
HUTCHINSON — His movements are slow. He lets his son, his top assistant, do much of the instructing, although Three Rivers (Mo.) coach Gene Bess is still good for a couple of verbal jabs at referees during games.
It's true that the game of basketball is attempting to blow by Bess like a crossover dribble every time he takes the sideline.
But there's no denying his presence. He has won two NJCAA championships in his 39 years at Three Rivers and has a chance to add another one after Friday night's 76-68 victory over Navarro (Texas) at the Sports Arena.
The Raiders will play Howard (Texas) in tonight's championship game at 8 p.m.
"It would mean everything," said Bess, who last won a title in 1991. "It would be the greatest thing that ever happened to me. There'd be nothing like it."
For the second straight game, Three Rivers made the big plays on Friday. When Navarro tied the score at 66 with 1:32 left, it was the Raiders' top player, Marquis Carter, slashing through the lane and finishing.
Then lock-down defense and clutch free-throw shooting helped close the game on a 10-2 run.
"We've came this far," Carter said. "We've been taking it one game at a time, so we're not going to change anything."
Three Rivers' pair of posts, Aloysius Henry and Ehimen Orukpe, disrupted many of Navarro's drives. That meant settling for perimeter shots and a 6-for-25 effort wasn't enough.
"We knew we had to guard real tight outside," Carter said. "Our coaches told us they were going to let their perimeter guys shoot as much as they wanted to. And when they went in, we had our big fellas down there to alter their shots."
Orukpe, a Wichita State signee, played his best game of the tournament, logging 20 minutes and registering four points, six rebounds and two blocks.
Three Rivers was more patient and deliberate with its approach, which led to 27-of-51 shooting. The Raiders spread the offense around in Carter (15 points), Josh Terry (15), Richard Walker (14) and Henry (10).
Henry finished a crucial three-point play in the post to seal the game for the Raiders.
"These guys had a pretty good idea of what they had to do and went out there and did it," Bess said.
Three Rivers has added motivation in tonight's title game.
"It'd mean a lot for our coach," Carter said. "We've put in so much work and sometimes we'd complain to each other about the work, but the coaches have always told us it's going to pay off. And now it has."
NAVARRO: Pressey 4-14 7-10 15, Carter 1-4 0-0 3, Thibodeaux 6-12 0-0 17, Harper 4-7 7-9 15, Denson 0-1 0-0 0, Ferguson 2-3 3-5 7, Allen 0-8 0-0 0, Turpin 0-0 4-4 4, Allou 1-2 3-5 5, Gibson 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 19-52 24-33 68.
THREE RIVERS: Carter 5-13 5-6 15, Walker 6-7 2-2 14, Niemczyk 1-5 0-0 2, Terry 5-7 5-6 15, Henry 3-8 4-5 10, Mitchell 0-0 1-2 1, Williams 3-4 2-3 8, Prater 2-5 1-2 7, Orukpe 2-2 0-2 4. Totals 27-51 20-28 76.
Halftime—Navarro 32, Three Rivers 31. Three-point shooting—Navarro 6-25 (Thibodeaux 5-11, Carter 1-4, Pressey 0-3, Allen 0-7), Three Rivers 2-7 (Prater 2-4, Carter 0-3). Rebounds—Navarro 33 (Pressey 6), Three Rivers 35 (Terry 9). Assists—Navarro 11 (Ferguson 3), Three Rivers 11 (Carter 4). Fouls—Navarro 26, Three Rivers 25.
Howard 68, E. Utah 64
EASTERN UTAH: Glover 21, Williams 11, Colomon 9, Dalton 3, Hawk-Harris 1, DeFavari 5, Mills 9, Thompson 3, Joaquim 2. Totals 19-35 8-19 64.
HOWARD, TEXAS: Austin 7, Obasi 4, Watkins 16, Crowder 22, Emory 17, Bright 2. Totals 19-30 9-15 68.
Halftime — Howard, Texas 33, Eastern Utah 30. 3's — Eastern Utah 6-13 (Williams 3, Colomon, Dalton, Thompson); Howard, Texas 7-28 (Austin 2, Obasi, Crowder 3, Emory). Rebounds — Eastern Utah 41 (Mills 7); Howard, Texas 31 (Crowder 9). Assists — Eastern Utah: 15 (Dalton 5), Howard, Texas: 16 (Watkins 5).
Wallace 69, Walters 62
WALLACE : Crowe 14, Hendrix 11, Hughes 10, Hall 9, Farmer 15, Thomas 8, Williams 2. Totals 16-33 16-25 69.
WALTERS: Upton 4, Payne 7, Sturdivant 8, Smith 5, Flynn 4, Crisp 13, Malone 8, Wells 13. Totals 20-39 13-27 62.
Halftime — Walters 28, Wallace 28. 3's — Wallace 7-22 (Crowe 4, Hendrix 2, Farmer); Walters 3-13 (Payne, Crisp, Wells). Rebounds — Wallace 46 (Hall 9); Walters 38 (Sturdivant and Wells 6). Assists — Wallace : 12 (Hughes 6), Walters: 7 (Payne and Flynn 2).
SE Illinois 64, North Platte 61
NORTH PLATTE: Ragland 22, Brown 13, Brabau 11, Gruszecki 7, Gawrzydek 2, Mauge 6. Totals 22-47 11-15 61.
SE ILLINOIS: Seck 7, Ashford 11, Brown 6, Hickman 2, McClure 7, Long 12, Kirksey 19. Totals 23-57 9-13 64.
Halftime — SE Illinois 30, North Platte 26. 3's — North Platte 2-5 (Brown, Gruszecki); SE Illinois 3-5 (Ashford, Brown, Long). Rebounds — North Platte 35 (Mauge 7); SE Illinois 37 (Seck 9). Assists — North Platte: 10 (Ragland 4), SE Illinois: 13 (Ashford 4).
Monroe 77, Middle Georgia 71
MONROE: Brown 2, Matthews 23, Henriquez 15, Scotland 1, Lindsay 3, Harris 6, Antadze 1, Dezouvre 15, Nared 7, Bandoumel 4. Totals 22-52 24-34 77.
MIDDLE GEORGIA: Forge 23, Callaway 5, T. Knight 2, M. Knight 10, Williams 5, Hall 22, Cooper 4. Totals 18-48 17-24 71.
Halftime — Monroe 35, Middle Georgia 34. 3's — Monroe 3-10 (Henriaquez 2, Nared); Middle Georgia 6-19 (Forge 4, Callaway, Williams ). Rebounds — Monroe 52 (Matthews 15); Middle Georgia 45 (Hall 16). Assists — Monroe: 9 (Dezouvre 3), Middle Georgia: 15 (Forge 5).
NJCAA Men
Today
7th place
Game 23—Southeastern Illinois (24-10) vs. Monroe, N.Y. (28-8), noon
5th place
Game 24—Northwest Florida State (30-4) vs. Wallace State-Hanceville, Ala. (31-5), 2 p.m.
3rd place
Game 25—Navarro (30-6) vs. Eastern Utah (26-10), 6 p.m.
Championship
Game 26—Three Rivers, Mo. (29-6) vs. Howard (32-2), 8 p.m.
NJCAA Women
At Salina
Friday
Consolation
North Idaho 81, Shelton State, Ala. 75, Shelton State eliminated
Copiah-Lincoln, Miss. 64, Walters State, Tenn. 56, Walters State eliminated
Trinity Valley, Texas 77, Central Arizona 67, Central Arizona eliminated
Semifinals
Gulf Coast 67, Labette 51
Jefferson (Mo.) 76, Casper, Wyo. 56
Today
7th place
Game 23— (5) Copiah-Lincoln, Miss. (30-2) vs. (7) North Idaho (28-7), 1 p.m.
5th place
Game 24— (10) Monroe, N.Y. (22-6) vs. (8) Trinity Valley, Texas (30-6), 3 p.m.
3rd place
Game 25—Labette (33-4) vs. vs. Casper (33-4), 5 p.m.
Championship
Game 26—Gulf Coast (31-1) vs. Jefferson (32-1), 7 p.m.
