OLD FORGE — Holy Cross reached a point in its season in unfamiliar territory, desperately in need of a signature win.
Staring at a .500 record and out of the division championship race, CJ Thompson and Adam Badyrka delivered big efforts, and the Crusaders also received timely contributions from others to earn a critical victory in a hostile environment at Old Forge High School in a key Lackawanna League boys basketball showdown.
Thompson scored 29 points, and Badyrka added 18 as ninth-ranked Holy Cross defeated No. 6 Old Forge, 73-70, on Wednesday night, pushing its overall record to 9-8 and its Division II mark to 5-4.
“We knew that we had to start getting going in the right direction, somehow,” said Thompson, who also had six rebounds for the Crusaders. “This was the night to do it. We knew playing on their court that we had to be energetic, and I think we were from start to finish.
“We understood what we had to prove, and we did that.”
Holy Cross started as the preseason No. 1 team in The Times-Tribune Poll and is the Division II defending champion. However, three losses in the first half, while the team dealt with Thompson missing games in the nonleague schedule, and Badyrka being out 10 games with an injury, put the Crusaders in the role of spoiler in the second half.
They lost to Riverside last week, which forced the team to shift its focus toward improving before the postseason.
Facing Old Forge, which dealt the Crusaders a 69-48 loss Jan. 2, Holy Cross wanted to build momentum and throw caution to the opponents who remain ahead on the schedule.
Badyrka continued to fuel the resurgent offense. Holy Cross averaged 75.8 points per game in the last four. He helped the Crusaders claw back from a first-quarter deficit by scoring eight points in the second quarter.
“The win feels great,” Badyrka said. “We have faced a ton of adversity during the year. CJ was hurt early, and then I got hurt. Other guys got hurt. I think the victory was our first game with a full roster, and everyone is healthy. We have worked hard in practice in anticipation of when everyone would be back, and to get a win like this over a very good team like Old Forge is big. It can get us on a roll and build that momentum where we keep competing and are never satisfied.”
Thompson, a well-respected defensive player, showed off some quick moves at the offensive end. He had a couple of step-back jumpers, a breakaway layup and three 3-pointers. He also secured the win by knocking down 8 of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter.
“I love getting my teammates the ball when they are open,” Thompson said. “When it comes to being a scorer, I know what I am capable of, and I know that my teammates support me.”
Holy Cross also got a jolt of energy from Colin Ritterbusch. The 6-foot-4 junior center offered a counter in the paint to Old Forge center Logan Fanning. He played physically inside, had 10 points and five rebounds and turned up the defensive pressure in the second half.
“I started out being aggressive in the beginning, and that kind of backfired on me, and I got into foul trouble,” Ritterbusch said. “I came out in the second half and tried to be more poised. He was going hard, but I worked to get lower in the post, and it was really physical in there.”
Holy Cross’ players were also inspired, as this is an important time of the season. It is Coaches vs. Cancer/Suits and Sneakers week in Northeast Pennsylvania.
In the 2021-22 season, former coach and Hall of Famer Al Callejas Sr. battled lung cancer. He, as always, was in attendance, and his son Al Callejas Jr. carries on his legacy as the coach of the Crusaders.
“Everyone knows what Coach battled,” Badyrka said. “This week is dedicated to people like him: the fighters. He did so much for this program, and for us to compete in a game where we acknowledge all of the people who have fought and are fighting cancer is important. The least we can do is come out on the court and play for them.”
Old Forge (11-5, 6-3) continued to battle the top teams in Division II to the bitter end, but came away with another narrow defeat.
Fanning dominated the game early by scoring 20 of his 23 points in the first half. He also finished with 19 rebounds — 14 off the offensive glass — and swatted four shots.
Cameron Parker, who heated up in the second half, finished with 22 points. His late 3-point attempt at the buzzer to tie caromed off the back rim. Ryan DeMarco scored 13 points, while Nick Salerno and Cameron Krushnowski each had six for the Blue Devils.
Old Forge, which leads the District 2 Class 2A power rating standings, suffered its third division loss, coming by an average of 4.3 points.
Valley View 64, North Pocono 30: At North Pocono, Cash Roe had eight points and Michael Muto seven in the second quarter when Valley View outscored the host Trojans, 21-3, to pull away to a Lackawanna Division I win.
Muto led the No. 5 Cougars (15-2, 7-2) with 18 points, and Roe followed with 17. Noah Symuleski chipped in 15 points.
Cole West and Anthony Maros each scored eight points for North Pocono (4-13, 1-8).