By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

BAY ST. LOUIS — St. Stanislaus scaled the spectrum of the prep basketaball world from Jackson County in a span of just three days this week.

And the Rock-A-Chaws escaped unscathed.

St. Stanislaus knocked off Resurrection 78-71 in a special matinee outing here at Brother Peter Gymnasium Friday afternoon. The win over the Class 1A Eagles helps move the Rocks to 2-0 n the new season, after SSC dispatched Class 7A St. Martin to open the new campaign Tuesday night at home.

The game was billed as a “Battle of Big Men” as SSC standout senior center Max Baria faced off with RCS talented post products Tyrese Ricardo and Simeon Ballard, but Baria got the upper hand right off the bat putting in eight first quarter points as the Rocks slowly began to take control.

The game was knotted up at 5-5 early, but two Baria baskets and a driving lay-up from Rock point guard Rafael Cohen ignited a 10-0 SSC run that resulted in a 15-5 lead that the home team would never relinquish.

Up 17-9 after the first frame, Baria added seven more points and Cohen chipped in six as the Rocks held off the Eagles despite the visitors cutting the deficit to 25-20 mid-way through the second stanza.

But a 3-point bomb at the halftime buzzer by SSC’s Raymond Ellis capped a 13-4 spurt down the stretch to return the advantage to double digits at 38-24 and SSC retained the lead for the remainder of the game.

Cohen poured in a game-high 22 points to pace St. Stanislaus, while the 6-foot-7 Baria tallied 20 points. Alan Gilliam chipped in 20 points to the winning effort.

The Rocks defense limited both the 6-foot-9 Ballard and the 6-foot-6 Ricardo to 13 points apiece, while Keyshawn Nesbitt and Gian Vera also had 13 points apiece for the Eagles. Denzel Eaton added 12 points for RCS, as the Eagles placed all five starters in double digits.