Top-seeded Riverside earned a 51-48 win over upset-minded Dunmore<\/a>, the second seed, in the Class 3A championship game on Thursday night.<\/p>\nRiverside (23-1) won its third straight District 2 championship and advances into the PIAA playoffs, where it will face the winner of the Mifflinburg-Loyalsock third-place game in District 4. Dunmore (21-4) also qualified for the state playoffs and will play the winner of the Warrior Run-Southern Columbia District 4 championship game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had confidence in ourselves and had trust in coach (Josh Aniska),\u201d said Rose, who finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds. \u201cWe believed in all the work that we put in, even before the season. I wanted the ball and had confidence in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following a scramble for a loose ball off a couple of missed shots, Riverside gained possession. Rose took a fired-inbounds pass from Michael Schimelfenig and converted a layup for a 49-48 lead.<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t finished.<\/p>\n
Dunmore had a late chance. On a second inbounds attempt, Rose tipped away a pass to Schimelfenig. He eventually got the ball back and made a pair of free throws to push the lead to 51-48.<\/p>\n
A final heave by Dunmore\u2019s Nate Aviles caromed away, and the Vikings won the rubber game between the Lackawanna Division II rivals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey ran that same exact play against Lakeland, and I saw it on film,\u201d Rose said of the final inbounds play. \u201cWhen I saw them line up, I told Nico (Antoniacci) to lock his guy up, and I knew it was coming to my guy. I had to make a play on the ball and then make two free throws to lock it down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Riverside trailed for almost the entire game. It endured an onslaught of 3-pointers from the red-hot shooting Bucks, chipped away at a double-digit deficit, and finished strong to earn the win.<\/p>\n
Antoniacci shook off some misfires and scored 10 of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter when the Vikings rallied after trailing, 41-34, after three. He converted a three-point play with 4:55 remaining in the game to pull Riverside to within 45-44. On the next possession, he drilled a dagger of a 3-pointer from well beyond the arc for the team\u2019s first lead, 47-45, since 1-0 in the first 11 seconds of the game.<\/p>\n
That surge set up the exciting finish.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis still doesn\u2019t even feel real,\u201d Antoniacci said. \u201cCoach told us to have a no-quit attitude. Down the stretch, Coach Aniska wanted us to get to the basket and if we were open, make shots. That was the loudest that I ever heard this arena when I made that 3. After that, we did it. This is special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dunmore, the only team to beat Riverside in the regular season, showed grit and determination from the opening tap in building a big advantage.<\/p>\n
Jimmy Clark made 3 of 4 shots from beyond the arc, Carter Sload had two 3-pointers, and Bradyden Canavan added another as the Bucks seized a 21-12 lead in the first quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hard not to get down on ourselves,\u201d Rose said. \u201cThey came out and banged a bunch of 3s. We were down 10. We had to calm down and not panic at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Riverside picked up its defensive pressure and limited Dunmore to 27 points in the next three quarters.<\/p>\n
Still, Dunmore maintained its lead, and Aviles had a late driving layup to end the first half up, 30-23. The Bucks kept responding to Riverside\u2019s attempts at a comeback in the third, which included a 3-pointer from Kyle Connor. Clark, who had 18 points, hit another 3-pointer, and Costanzo tapped in a missed shot at the buzzer in the third for a 41-34 lead.<\/p>\n
Dunmore\u2019s lead inched up to 45-36 on another Costanzo layup, but Schimelfenig ignited the Vikings with a 3-pointer from the corner. It led to Riverside outscoring the Bucks, 12-3, in the final 6 minutes of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am a defensive player, and I know my role,\u201d Schimelfenig said. \u201cI can help the team by making a shot. The big 3 helped us get a run. They shot really well coming out, so we had to keep digging deep to get the win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dunmore 21 9 11 7 \u2014 48<\/p>\n
Riverside 12 11 11 17 \u2014 51<\/p>\n
Dunmore \u2014 Canavan 3 1-2 9, Sload 3 2-2 10, Aviles 3 0-0 6, Clark 7 0-0 18, Costanzo 2 1-2 5, Franek 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 4-6 48.<\/p>\n
Riverside \u2014 Schimefenig 1 0-0 3, Rose 5 5-8, 16, Antoniacci 8 3-3 21, Connor 2 0-0 6, Jackson 2 1-2 5, Jackson 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 9-13 51.<\/p>\n
Three-pointers: Clark 4, Sload 2, Antoniacci 2, Connor 2, Rose 1, Schimefenig 1, Canavan 1.<\/p>\n
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