By Tom Robinson, NEPABasketball.com
TAYLOR – Riverside combined big games from its only returning starter and one of the freshmen entrusted to key roles in its title defenses Friday to get through Opening Night of the boys season with a 44-41 victory over visiting Wyoming Valley West.
Frankie Antoniacci, the third-leading scorer behind a pair of 1,000-point scorers and multi-year all-stars, is the only returning starter for the Lackawanna League Division 3 and District 2 Class 3A champions. He went 5-for-12 on 3-pointers while leading the Vikings in points (19), rebounds (7) and blocked shots (4) along with sharing the lead in assists (2).
“Frankie’s our leader,” Vikings coach Josh Aniska said. “He’s a guy we’re going to lean on, to depend on him.”
Jerry Rose, one of three freshmen among the six players Riverside used, added 18 points and 5 rebounds.
“I’m very happy with Jerry, with the three freshmen we had in there in the game in those big moments,” Aniska said. “Each of them stepped up and made big plays in some big moments.”
Matt Godlewski joined Rose in the starting lineup and scored five points while Connor McNally played more than half the game as the only reserve Aniska used.
After the two big scorers, the rest of the team struggled to 3-for-20 shooting while supplying just seven points.
Anthony Karpinski chipped in six rebounds and two assists while Michael Samsell had five rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists.
Wyoming Valley West was led by Jon Mann with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 3 steals.
“He’s our best player,” Spartans coach Chris Parker said. “He’s our go-to. We’ve got to find ways to continue to get him the ball in the post.”
Brian Gill had 9 points and 10 rebounds while Zack Konopke had 9 points and 7 rebounds.
The Spartans had a 43-32 rebound advantage, but Parker pointed out too many Riverside second chances. He said the 17 turnovers committed and the 11 offensive rebounds yielded to the Vikings were “too much.”
Riverside made up for the Wyoming Valley West rebounding advantage by committing just two turnovers in the first three quarters and nine total.
The teams traded the lead five times and were tied twice in the first 13 minutes.
Wyoming Valley West led by four twice in the first quarter and led 17-14 midway through the second.
Riverside went ahead to stay with an 8-0 run from there.
Freshman Matt Godlewski tied in on a 3-pointer from the left wing.
Rose converted his own rebound with 3:10 left in the half to break the tie, then Antoniacci hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
Riverside built the biggest lead, 37-29, by opening the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run that included 3-pointers by Antoniacci 32 seconds apart.
“He went on a little run that gave us a big spark when he hit a couple shots,” Aniska said.
Gill kept Wyoming Valley West in the game with a putback and a jumper from the right elbow before Tyreese Harris hit a 3-pointer to complete the seven-point streak that cut the deficit to 37-36.
Rose had the last four points of a 6-1 run as the Vikings attempted to regain control, but the Spartans kept fighting to get a 30-footer for the tie at the final buzzer.
The Vikings opened the season as the second-ranked Small School in the My City Mortgage Super Six Power Rankings of District 2 teams.
