Riverside’s Brayden Rose celebrates during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Holy Cross’ Jack Alpert defends Riverside’s Brayden Rose during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s head coach Josh Aniska rallies with his team before the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Holy Cross’ Adam Badyrka defends Riverside’s Brayden Rose during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s Nico Antoniacci defends Holy Cross’ CJ Thompson during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Holy Cross’ Colin Ritterbusch defends Riverside’s Brayden Rose during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Holy Cross’ Thomas Gavin defends Riverside’s Nico Antoniacci during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s Nico Antoniacci and Riverside’s Michael Schmilfenig defend Holy Cross’ Colin Farrell during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s Brayden Rose and Holy Cross’ CJ Thompson participate in the tip off during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Holy Cross’ Colin Farrell defends Riverside’s Nico Antoniacci during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s Brayden Rose defends Holy Cross’ Adam Badyrka during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s Michael Schmilfenig (0) shares a high five with teammate Kyle Connor (24) during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s Brayden Rose takes a free throw shot during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s Kyle Connor takes a shot during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Holy Cross’ CJ Thompson and Jack Alpert attempt to take the ball from Riverside’s Michael Schmilfenig during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s head coach Josh Aniska calls out to his players during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside’s student section cheers on their team during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Riverside cheerleaders perform during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Riverside’s Brayden Rose celebrates during the District 2 Class 4A boys basketball semifinal game at Riverside High School in Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
TAYLOR — Brayden Rose hit a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer to give Riverside a six-point halftime lead over Holy Cross in their District 2 Class 3A semifinal Saturday afternoon.
It proved to be a momentum boost for the Vikings. They went on a run to open the third quarter to put them in control on their way to a 78-67 victory at Riverside’s Patrick C. Revello Gymnasium.
Nico Antoniacci scored 29 points and Rose finished with 28 for the top-seeded Vikings (22-1), who won their 12th straight to advance the Class 3A final against Dunmore, which defeated Lakeland in its semifinal, 52-46, on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Mohegan Arena. Kyle Connor chipped in 11 points in the win.
“Holy Cross is an excellent team. Everybody knows they are not the fourth-best team in our classification,” Riverside coach Josh Aniska said. “Nico and Brayden did what we expected of them as leaders of our team. It maybe took them a little bit to realize that, but they’re unstoppable. Once they turned it on in the second half, it led us to victory.”
C.J. Thompson led four players in double figures for No. 4 Holy Cross (14-10) with 18 points. Colin Farrell had 14 points, Adam Badyrka 13 points and Colin Ritterbusch 10 points.
Farrell completed a four-point play with 52.7 seconds left in the second quarter to tie the game at 24. Antoniacci answered with a 3-pointer. Then after an exchange of turnovers, Rose hit his three at the buzzer to give Riverside a 30-24 halftime lead.
“There was a couple of seconds left, coach called the play and I wanted the ball real bad,” Rose said. “I flashed a little bit, got the ball in my hands, gave a little pump fake, shot it. It felt good and went in.
“It was huge. That was a real change of pace in the game. It gave our whole team and the whole crowd some energy in the second half.”
Crusaders coach Al Callejas agreed Rose’s shot was a momentum-changer.
“We get the three from Colin Farrell in the corner and tie it, 24-24. Then Nico, the threes he shot we contested really well. He’s probably the only kid who can make those around here or anywhere,” Callejas said. “He made that one to put them up 27-24. Then Brayden hit that. So originally you’re thinking we could go into the half tied or down a basket. Instead, you’re down six and they have the ball coming out in the second half.”
To open the second half, Rose hit a pair of baskets. Thompson hit a 3-pointer for Holy Cross, but Antoniacci took a rebound coast-to-coast for a score, Rose hit two free throws, Antoniacci followed with a layup before Rose capped the 12-3 run that put the Vikings in front, 42-27, with 4:56 left in the third.
Holy Cross tried to rally. Down, 53-38, after three quarters, the Crusaders got within 61-52 following a 3-pointer by Jack Alpert with 3:50 left in the fourth.
However, Rose hit two free throws, Antoniacci found Jared Jackson underneath for two, then scored off a drive to push the Vikings’ lead back to 67-52 with 2:57 remaining and all but seal it.
In the final, Riverside will be looking to capture its third straight district championship.
“We have a chance to do something really special and three-peat,” Antoniacci said. “We play for March now at the school, coach says that’s the standard. I’m happy we’re going back to Mohegan.”
Dunmore 52, Lakeland 46: At Dunmore, the No. 2 Bucks (21-3) overcame a slow start to defeat the upset-minded No. 4 Chiefs (11-13) in a Class 3A boys basketball semifinal Saturday afternoon.
Dunmore trailed 10-9, after the first quarter, but outscored Lakeland, 20-11, in the second quarter to take a 29-21 lead at halftime.
Brayden Canavan scored 16 points to lead the Bucks.
Chase Rosenkrans led Lakeland with 16 points while Jake McHale added 13.
Class 2A
Old Forge’s Camren Krushnowski had a career game when his team needed him most.
Krushnowski scored 10 of his career-high 22 points in the first quarter to spark the top-seeded Blue Devils to a 16-point lead and then added nine points in the third quarter — all on 3-pointers, as Old Forge ran away from No. 4 Blue Ridge, 77-40, in the semifinals of the District 2 Class 2A boys basketball tournament Saturday.
Cameron Parker added 14 points, and Logan Fanning had 12 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks for the Blue Devils (17-6), who will face No. 2 Susquehanna in the championship game, Saturday, Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. at Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre Twp.
Arthur Askew added 10 points and Ryan DeMarco contributed seven assists for Old Forge.
Paxton Pingarelli led the Raiders (11-12) with 12 points.
Susquehanna 61, Lackawanna Trail 40: At Susquehanna, Mason Keyes scored a game-high 21 points while Griffin Fisk and Hudson Stengel added 15 and 10, respectively to lead No. 2 Susquehanna past the No. 3 Lions.
The Sabers (19-5) jumped out to a 14-7 lead after the first quarter, and the lead grew to 27-19 at halftime. Susquehanna then outscored the Lions, 18-9, in the third quarter to pull away and take a 45-28 lead into the fourth quarter.
Logan Seigle led the Lions (16-7) with 14 points while Jimmy Phillips added 10 and Lucas Filipek contributed eight.