SLIPPERY ROCK — The Rock Box can now be fondly remembered.

After losing 20 straight games at the quaint Slippery Rock High School gym over the past two seasons, the Rockets' boys basketball team closed it with two straight wins, including a 62-51 victory over Wilmington Wednesday night.

It was the final boys basketball game in the Rock Box, which was the nickname given years ago to the bandbox court. The girls play the final game in the gym tonight.

A new, larger-sized version will open next season.

"All day that's all we thought about," said senior David Hewitt. "We're not losing to Wilmington tonight. Not here."

The Rockets didn't.

On senior night, it was the seniors who spurred on Slippery Rock (5-18).

With five seniors on the floor, the Rockets stormed out to a 12-4 lead late in the first quarter and took a nine-point advantage into the second period.

Senior Bill Stoughton hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter and had 14 points before leaving in the third quarter with an ankle injury.

Ben Collins, another senior, played gritty all night, scoring six points. He was more valuable corralling loose basketballs and playing staunch defense.

"It's our senior year, and our last game at home, and this old gym has a lot of history," Collins said. "We just wanted to close out the Rock Box the right way."

But the senior who had the biggest night was Hewitt.

The 6-foot-3 forward, who has struggled at times this season, scored 18 points. He hit all eight of his shots from the floor, including a 3-pointer.

"You're not making that up, are you?" Hewitt asked when told he had a spotless shooting night. "I haven't done that for years."

He picked the right time to do it again.

Hewitt also had eight rebounds and played well on defense.

Hewitt was poised for a great senior season, but he came into the Wilmington game averaging a mere 7.1 points per game after scoring 11.4 points per contest after the first five games this season.

"It's been rough," Hewitt said. "But there is rough times in everyone's life. You work as hard as you can, you come in every day, and this win just puts it over the top."

Not all was good for the seniors. John Bennett suffered a leg injury in the third period and was helped off the floor. It is feared the center broke his leg.

Stoughton then went down with his ankle injury less than 30 seconds later. The Rockets' leading scorer is doubtful for the season finale at Oil City Friday.

Slippery Rock led by as many as 17 points late in the third quarter before Wilmington made a final push, closing the gap to nine points with 4:14 remaining in the game.

Shane Wagner, a freshman guard, scored 16 points for Wilmington. He scored 11 in the second quarter to help the Greyhounds climb back into the game.

"Without him, it's a 25-, 30-point game," said Slippery Rock coach Sean Strickland. "He's the reason why they were in the game. He's going to be a player."

Sophomore Zack Ejzak scored only six points for the Rockets Wednesday, but he cracked double digits in every other game since returning from injury at mid-season.

Junior Rhett Gordon flashed some of his athleticism against the Greyhounds as well.

Next season will be Strickland's third at the helm of the Rockets.

"The third year is always the good year," Strickland said. "Whatever programs I have been associated with, or whatever programs my coaching friends have been associated with, it's the third year when everyone knows how you coach."

And the third year will open in a spiffy new gym.

Stickland's only lament is the seniors on this year's team won't get to enjoy it.

"I pulled all the seniors aside before the game, and what I told them was forget about wins and losses. What they brought to this program is work ethic."

WILMINGTON 51

Jake Reiber 3-6 1-3 7, Nate Reynolds 3-7 0-0 6, Jeremy Beatty 1-4 0-0 2, Nick Powell 0-2 0-0 0, Chris Burns 4-15 5-9 13, Jermon Taylor 0-3 0-0 0, Lamar Mosby 2-4 3-6 7, Shane Wagner 5-9 2-2 16. Totals: 18-50 11-20 51

SLIPPERY ROCK 62

Rhett Gordon 3-9 0-1 6, Joe Bryan 2-4 2-2 7, Kendall Mahan 0-1 0-0 0, Jarod Agostino 0-0 0-0 0, Ben Collins 3-6 1-1 7, Bill Stoughton 5-13 1-1 14, Vince Papley 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Shearer 0-4 0-2 0, Brian Kelly 1-3 0-2 2, T.J. Hogue 0-0 0-0 0, Zack Ejzak 3-7 0-0 6, John Bennett 1-1 0-0 2, David Hewitt 8-8 1-2 18. Totals: 26-56 5-11 62

3-point goals:

Wagner 4, Stoughton 3, Bryan 3

JV:

Wilmington 42-38

Friday:

Slippery Rock at Oil City