BOYS BASKETBALL: A Record-Breaking Start for Riverside's Antoniacci
Nico Antoniacci, the reigning Times-Tribune Player of the Year, had an extraordinary start to his sophomore season. In a nonleague opener, he scored an impressive 53 points in the first half, leading No. 2 Riverside to a commanding 97-37 victory over Wyoming Valley West. Antoniacci's performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he made 19 total field goals, including 10 from beyond the 3-point arc, in just 16 minutes of play. He did not return to the court in the second half.
Antoniacci's confidence and success were evident in his words: "I felt really good during warmups, and my team played great. When I get that feeling, I just keep shooting, and I felt like I couldn’t miss."
This performance comes on the heels of a remarkable season where Antoniacci scored 572 points, earned a spot on the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class 3A all-state team, and was named the Lackawanna League Coaches’ Division II player of the year. His early momentum continued as he scored 27 points in the first quarter, including six 3-pointers, contributing to a 34-10 lead for the Vikings.
In the second quarter, Antoniacci's scoring prowess persisted, as he added 26 more points, including four 3-pointers, in another 34-point quarter for Riverside. The coach, Josh Aniska, described the scene: "It was almost like you couldn’t believe it was happening, even though it was happening right in front of you."
The Riverside team's success was not solely attributed to Antoniacci's brilliance. Paul Brennan and Brayden Rose also contributed significantly, with 12 and 8 points, respectively, in the first half. For Wyoming Valley West, AJ Hickson scored 10 points.
Other games included Old Forge's 45-42 win over Emmaus in the Wilkes-Barre Invitational semifinals, with Cameron Parker leading the way. Wyoming Area, meanwhile, defeated North Pocono 57-50 at the James Akens Tournament, with Mitchell Rusinchak and Luke Kopetchny as key players. Dunmore also secured a nonleague victory at home, beating Tunkhannock 60-23, with Carter Sload leading the scoring. Lastly, East Stroudsburg South emerged victorious in a nonleague match against Honesdale, with Jaiden Martinez-Tovar's 22 points being a significant factor.
