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Rockets fizzle vs. Raiders
SR can't maintain fast start in SV win
By Derek Pyda
Eagle Staff Writer
JACKSON TWP — After one quarter, it appeared as though the Seneca Valley-Slippery Rock boys basketball game was going to be a back-and-forth affair.
Then the Rockets' offense hit a brick wall.
Slippery Rock led the Raiders after one quarter, 16-12, but scored just 19 points the rest of the game as SV grabbed a 54-35 win Tuesday night on its home floor.
The Rockets shot just 36 percent from the field (15 of 41), but it was the 25 turnovers his team committed that frustrated coach Sean Strickland the most.
"We're making a lot of mental errors right now, and we're not getting the kind of leadership out of our seniors that we need," he said.
The Raiders outscored Slippery Rock 22-4 in the second quarter, including a 13-0 run in the first 4:30 of the period, and led 34-20 at intermission.
The Raiders (3-0) forced nine turnovers in the second quarter.
"We thought that we could press them," said SV coach Vic Giannotta. "But you still have to score."
And the Raiders did, as they got a game-high 19 points from junior C.J. Brown, including 10 in the second quarter.
SV's John Fitzpatrick also hit double figures with 10 points.
The Rockets' defense stiffened in the third period, allowing only five points.
"I think more than a change in our defense, we just started communicating better," said Strickland.
But the Rockets (1-2) were unable to take full advantage of the Raiders' offensive troubles and trailed 39-30 after three quarter.
Brown's steal and layup with 3:14 remaining in the game was the final blow, giving his team a 47-32 edge.
Zack Ejzak led the Rockets with eight points.
The Raiders outrebounded the Rockets 36-29 and shot 38 percent from the field at 22 of 57.
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