Prep Basketball: Defending state champ Rocks off to a quick 2-0 start
St. Stanislaus’ Hector Ruiz (33) attempts to lay up the ball while surrounded by multiple St. Martin defenders Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)
By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
ST. MARTIN — Defending Class 3A state champion St. Stanislaus is off to a quick 2-0 start this season with a pair of wins over two Class 7A opponents.
The Rock-A-Chaws picked up their second win of the season in a five day span Tuesday night with a hard-fought 59-51 road win over St. Martin. SSC is 2-0 and the Yellow Jackets are 2-1 a week into the new campaign.
St. Stanislaus’ Rayond Ellis (10) dribbles the ball through contact vs. St. Martin Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)St. Martin’s Reginald Keys (3) and St. Stanislaus’ Hector Ruiz (33) attempt to recover a rebound Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)St. Martin’s Tyson Walker (4) dribbles the ball past Warin Kane of SSC Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)
Up just 45-42 entering the fourth period, SSC out-scored the home team 14-9 down the stretch to seal the deal.
The Rocks were playing without one of the top returning players in the state in guard Rafael Cohen, who missed the first two games with an injury.
Last season, Cohen was a major reason why SSC captured that state title adn went 31-4 overall. He was named Most Valuable Player in the championship contest, a 49-32 win over Quitman, as he tallied a game-high 22 points and grabbed five rebounds in the win over the Panthers.
St. Stanislaus’ Jason Forte (24) looks to take a shot as St. Martin’s RJ Keys defends Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)St. Stanislaus’ Tre Schwandt (2) makes a move toward the lane vs. St. Martin High School on Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)St. Stanislaus’ Hector Ruiz (33) goes hard to the hoop surrounded by multiple St. Martin defenders Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)St Stanislaus’ Tre Schwandt (2) dribbles the ball past St. Martin’s George Norman Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)
But in his absence Tuesday night, Tre Schwandt stepped up and tallied a team-high 15 points in the winning effort, including five points in that decisive final frame.
Hector Ruiz chipped in 13 points for SSC before fouling out, while Raymond Ellis and Michael Walton had eight points apiece.
St. Martin got a game-high 19 points from Tyson Walker and R.J. Keys added 15 points.
St. Stanislaus started the season off with a close 52-50 win over West Harrison Friday night. Ruiz tallied a game-high 21 points in that one.
St.. Stanislaus’ Hector Ruiz (33) splits St. Martin defenders Bryson Walker (1) and George Norman (5) on his way down the lane Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)St. Martin’s Riley Sanders-Hall (10) recovers a rebound vs. St. Stanislaus Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)St. Martin’s Riley Sanders-Hall (10) scrambles for a rebound with Simeon Ballard of St. Stanislaus for the rebound Tuesday night. (Photo by Jackson Ranger)
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