ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (Jan. 17, 2025) -- The Maroon & White dominated the action early and then scrambled to hold on late -- through a spate of Pirate turnovers and deadeye Bucks shooting -- as Rocky River defeated Buckeye 62-58 in Friday night Cleveland West Conference action.
Guards Michael Swallow and Jacob Radcliffe combined for 32 points in what marked a River bounce-back effort after falling at Fairview Tuesday. Swallow scored eight of the Buccaneers' points in a 15-4 surge at the outset. For the game, the senior captain went 6-of-8 from the floor and 6-for-6 at the free-throw line in filing a career-high 18 points. Radcliffe added 14 points.
The Pirates (9-5, 6-2 CWC) would work their way to a 30-17 edge at halftime. They held the Bucks (7-6, 5-3) to a 27.3% mark (6-of-22) along the way.
Buckeye rallied with a 46.9% (15-of-32) accuracy mark in the second half; in a big 29-point fourth quarter, the visiting five went 11-of-21 with three 3-pointers (59.5% effective). Juniors Turner Dolata and Austin Hyre gave the Bucks a jolt in the fourth. They finished with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
It was a Hyre triple at the 51-second mark of the fourth that brought Buckeye -- now losers of three straight games -- within five, at 59-54. They would whittle their deficit to three (61-58) before a final River free throw made for the four-point spread when the scoreboard clock hit triple-zeroes. The Bucks finished the game on a 20-8 run after being down 20 (54-34) early in the final period.
A nifty Jeff Maslar entry pass setting up a power move -- and a three-point play -- by Henry Ward vaulted River to that 20-point highwater mark. Ward gave the Pirates a highly-efficient hustle-and-muscle performance in seven minutes off the bench. Rocky River also got a bench lift on the boards with Rowan Kennedy filing six defensive rebounds in 18 minutes.
Both sides were solid on the offensive glass, with River logging 13 offensive rebounds -- a season high -- and Buckeye collecting 11. Overall rebounding amounted to a 31-28 edge for the River Raiders. The Pirates were a plus-1 (14 to 15) in turnovers.
Both teams struggled in shooting from distance, and overall shooting was a near-even exchange with both sides registering near-40% accuracy marks from the field.
Despite fouling out on a 21-minute night, Swallow garnered six rebounds and three assists. Maslar finished with nine points, four boards, and three steals. Danny Berg had four points and six assists; the sophomore point guard has now clocked four-plus assists in six straight games.
CANNON FIRE ...
ON DECK: The Sons of Blackbeard are slated to host Valley Forge in a Tuesday night CWC battle at Rocky River Gymnasium.
by Skip Snow
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