Nico Antoniacci couldn\u2019t have started his sophomore season any better.<\/p>\n
In a nonleague opener on Friday, the reigning Times-Tribune Player of the Year torched the nets for 53 points in the first half to lead No. 2 Riverside to a 97-37 win over Wyoming Valley West<\/a> in boys basketball.<\/p>\n Antoniacci made 19 total field goals, which included 10 from beyond the 3-point arc in the first 16 minutes of play. He did not play in the second half.<\/p>\n \u201cI was really feeling it in warmups, and my team played great,\u201d\u00a0 Antoniacci said. \u201cWhen I get a feeling like that, I just keep shooting, and I felt like I couldn\u2019t miss.\u201d<\/p>\n Coming off a season in which he scored 572 points, was selected to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class 3A all-state team, and named the Lackawanna League Coaches\u2019 Division II player of the year, Antoniacci got going quickly and didn\u2019t cool off until he took a seat on the bench.<\/p>\n The 6-foot-3 sharpshooter scored 27 points in the first quarter with six 3-pointers as the Vikings raced to a 34-10 lead.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to come out and make a statement,\u201d Antoniacci said. \u201cWe had intensity all week in practice. We were practicing hard together, and we played well.\u201d<\/p>\n In the second quarter, Antoniacci scored 26 points, including four 3-pointers, in another 34-point quarter for Riverside.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was almost like you couldn\u2019t believe it was happening, even though it was happening right in front of you,\u201d Riverside coach Josh Aniska said. \u201cIt was everything that we talked about in the preseason for him, and he is almost like he is on a mission. He made a lot of tough, contested shots, too. A lot of the success stems from his teammates, who are making hustle plays and causing havoc.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a lot of fun to be a part of. Everyone was in awe.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul Brennan added 12 points, and Brayden Rose had eight points in the first half for Riverside.<\/p>\n AJ Hickson scored 10 points for Wyoming Valley West.<\/p>\n Old Forge 45, Emmaus 42:\u00a0Cameron Parker scored 15 points to lead the third-ranked Blue Devils to a win in the semifinals of the Wilkes-Barre Invitational<\/a>.<\/p>\n Logan Fanning added 10 points, 20 rebounds, and six blocks for Old Forge, which will play the host Wolfpack on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.<\/p>\n Lucas Stephan scored 15 points, and Jacob Ross added 12 for Emmaus.<\/p>\n Wyoming Area 57, North Pocono 50: At the James Akens Tournament at North Pocono, Wyoming Area outscored No. 8 North Pocono<\/a> by seven in the first half, and that was the difference as the Warriors advanced to the championship.<\/p>\n Mitchell Rusinchak hit six 3-pointers to lead Wyoming Area with 22 points, while Luke Kopetchny was 9 of 11 from the free-throw line for 21 points.<\/p>\n Anthony Maras led the Trojans with 16 points, while Cole West added 12. Connor Ruddy was the third North Pocono player in double digits, hitting three 3-pointers for 11 points.<\/p>\n Dunmore 60, Tunkhannock 23: Carter Sload scored 13 points to lead a balanced attack as the sixth-ranked Bucks opened with a nonleague victory<\/a> at home.<\/p>\n Brayden Canavan added 12 points, and Jimmy Clark had 11 for Dunmore.<\/p>\n Sload scored 11 points in the second quarter when Dunmore outscored the Tigers, 26-3.<\/p>\n Boden Lukasavage and Elijah Faux paced Tunkhannock with five points each.<\/p>\n