PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio (Dec. 10, 2024) --  A big second quarter helped lift the Pirates to a conference road win Tuesday. A trio of 3-pointers, including two by junior guard Jacob Radcliffe, were part of a 22-point second stanza, and Rocky River would go on to defeat Valley Forge 65-54.  

Valley Forge (0-3, 0-1 Cleveland West Conference) had few answers for Radcliffe, who finished the night with 18 points on the strength of four triples. And River had two other players file double digits in the scoring column (Michael Swallow 16, Jeff Maslar 12), as the Pirates scored over-60 for a second straight game.  

Rocky River (1-2, 1-1) got six points from Swallow as part of a taut first quarter that saw the Buccaneers outscore their hosts 16-15. Radcliffe and Jackson Paige knocked down treys as part of that opening salvo. Radcliffe then bookended a 10-point second period with 3s, leading the Double-R to its 22-point surge. The Patriots countered with 13 and the Pirates went into halftime leading 38-28. Rowan Kennedy had six points in the second.

Valley Forge, which has not beaten River since 2017, pushed back with a 13-10 third, but the Maroon & White closed out the game with a solid fourth to earn their first win of the season.

[Game stats unavailable at time of publication.]

Since 2018, Rocky River is now 8-0 against the Patriots.

The Pirates will open the home portion of their season Friday when they host the Westlake Demons.

by Skip Snow

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