Revere Boys Rout Valley Forge, 81-41

will advance to the Division I Brecksville boys basketball district semifinals on Wednesday against North Royalton off a solid 81-41 win over Valley Forge behind 22 points from senior Larry Nance Jr. and 14 from  junior Mark Mockbee.

The Minutemen, who trailed 3-0 after Patriot junior guard Nick Ho hit a 3-pointer, were never in trouble -  taking a 4-3 lead on a pair of free throws from Revere senior Eric Smith just 66 seconds into the game.

Revere never looked back with 11 different players getting into the scoring column, pushing the Minutemen to a 20-1 record that includes a 19-game win streak. The only setback this season for the Minutemen was an early season loss to Massillon Jackson.

"We had a height advantage, but you have to go out and play the game, and I felt comfortable early on when we opened a 14-5 lead," said Revere coach and Valley Forge grad . "And we were able to get a lot of kids to contribute."

"They are very good," said Valley Forge coach John Ugan, who could not catch a break in the lopsided season-ending loss.

Ugan didn't agree with the official's call when one of his players was whistled for an offensive foul near the sideline with Revere leading 20-11 with just seconds off the second quarter clock. Ugan earned an emphatic technical foul from official Mike Armstead.

"My guy got hit and they call the offensive foul on him," said Ugan. "I just said you have to make that call and (Armstead) gave me the technical. I got one in January and this one. That's two in 15 years so I know what you can say to the officials."

The Patriots, who end the year 5-17, were unable to stop the Minutemen from running away in the second quarter. Revere scored on seven straight possessions including back-to-back 3-pointers by senior Ryan Wonders, who finished with all his eight points in the quarter. It led to the Minutemen holding a 39-19 halftime edge.

"They have good ball handlers, good 3-point shooters, a very good inside game and they play smart," continued Ugan, who sees the Minutemen with a solid chance of reaching the regionals and going further down the tournament trail.

Rahas looks to the game with North Royalton as a challenge for his Minutemen.

"(North Royalton) is a very good team that won their league and have height and can shoot the ball," said the Revere coach, whose team entered the district tournament as the second-seed to Lakewood St. Edward.

Behind the 33 combined points from Nance and Mockbee, the Minutemen got eight points each from Wonders and senior D.J. Bettinger while Smith, senior Dan Slattery, junior Mitch Ruetty and sophomore Jason Tretter each tallied six in the 40-point win.

Valley Forge, which does not boast a player taller than 6-foot-1, was led by Ho, who scored 16 of the Patriots' 29 points through three quarters. He finished with a team-high 17. The Patriots got six points each from senior Dan Wypasek and junior Justin Griffin.

The Wednesday district semifinal doubleheader at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School begins at 6 p.m. with upstart Lakewood meeting top-seed and neighboring school St. Edward. The second game is Revere against North Royalton at 7:30 p.m.