English
EspañolIt is the rubber match that many had anticipated happening earlier.
Second-seeded Dunmore (21-3) plays No. 1 Riverside (22-1) for the District 2 Class 3A championship on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Mohegan Arena.
The two Lackawanna Division II rivals split their season series, and fans thought a playoff game would decide the league title. Old Forge spoiled that by upsetting Dunmore in the regular-season finale.
Now, the Bucks and Vikings will break their tie with gold medals on the line.
If the first two battles are any indication, this should be an up-and-down, action-packed final.
Dunmore had four players score in double figures in its upset win at Riverside, 72-67, on Jan. 6. Brayden Canavan led the way with 20 points. Nate Aviles had 15 points, Jimmy Clark scored 13, and Carter Sload had 11. That balance countered the one-two punch of Brayden Rose, who had 31 points, and Nico Antoniacci, who had 28 points.
In the rematch at Dunmore, Rose was nearly unstoppable. He scored 41 points, and, after a slow start, Antoniacci finished with 31 points in a fast-paced 88-71 win. Clark led Dunmore with 27 points and seven 3-pointers, Canavan scored 23, and Aviles had 12.
Riverside averages 73.7 points per game this season. The Vikings scored 97 points in the season opener against Wyoming Valley West, when Antoniacci had 53 points and 10 3-pointers. They also scored 95 in a win over Holy Cross.
Dunmore averages 72.7 points per game. The Bucks had a season-high 97 points in a win over Honesdale and scored 96 in a win over Holy Cross in the semifinals of the Lynett Memorial Basketball Tournament.
Both teams got tested in the Class 3A semifinals by Lackawanna Division II opponents.
Riverside, which received a bye in the quarterfinals, held off a fourth-quarter surge and beat Holy Cross for the third time this season. Antoniacci finished with 29 points, and Rose had 28 in a 78-67 win.
Dunmore pushed past Lakeland, 52-46. Canavan, who missed the quarterfinal win over Montrose, led the Bucks with 16 points. Sload and Clark each had nine points.
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DISTRICT 2 CLASS 3A CHAMPIONSHIP
2-Dunmore (21-3) vs. 1-Riverside (22-1)
When: Thursday, 8 p.m.
Where: Mohegan Arena
Tickets: $8. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the arena box office on the day of the event. There will be no free admission for adults over 65 and children under 5.
How they got here: Dunmore defeated No. 7 Montrose, 76-36, and No. 6 Lakeland, 52-46. Riverside received a bye in the quarterfinals and defeated No. 4 Holy Cross, 78-67.
Up next: The winner plays the third-place team from District 4, and the runner-up plays the District 4 champion in the PIAA first round on March 7.
Players to watch: Dunmore — Brayden Canavan (18.7 points per game); Carter Sload (17.3), Jimmy Clark (13.4), Nate Aviles (12.6), Jake Costanzo (4.9).
Riverside — Nico Antoniacci (30.5), Brayden Rose (21.2), Kyle Connor (6.3), Michael Schimelfenig (5.8), Jared Jackson (3.7).
Noteworthy: The teams split their two meetings during the Lackawanna Division II season. Dunmore won the first game, 72-67. Riverside evened the series, 88-71. Riverside’s Nico Antoniacci and Brayden Rose have both scored more than 1,000 points in their careers. Dunmore’s Brayden Canavan has scored more than 1,000 points in his career. Riverside has won three District 2 Class 3A championships since 2021, including the last two. Dunmore’s last District 2 championship came in 1996 in Class 2A when the PIAA had only four classifications.
— JOBY FAWCETT