PIAA BOYS BASKETBALL: Riverside falls to West Catholic in 3A quarters

BETHLEHEM — After making it further than any Riverside roster in the last 25 years, the Vikings’ season came to a close Saturday.

Riverside couldn’t claw back from an early deficit and ultimately fell, 55-41, against West Catholic in the PIAA Class 3A boys basketball quarterfinals at Bethlehem Liberty High School.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way we played today,” Riverside coach Josh Aniska said. “We left everything out on the floor.”

Connor McNally led the team with 15 points, including 7 of 9 showing from the free throw line. Freshman Nico Antoniacci added 10 points off four field goals, including a 3-pointer.

Antoniacci scored the first basket of the game, giving the Vikings an early lead, but West Catholic hit three straight shots to seize a 7-2 advantage. Riverside bounced back with three straight baskets of its own, before West Catholic once again took back the lead, 12-8, at the end of the first quarter.

McNally and Gerry Rose baskets kept the deficit within single digits, but Riverside could not catch its opponent. When Gerry Rose sunk a 3-pointer with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter, he put his team within four points — the closest margin for the rest of the game.

Gerry Rose’s second-quarter shot was the first 3-pointer for Riverside, as the Vikings shot an uncharacteristic 2 for 22 from deep.

“You could narrow it down to like four or five big plays throughout the course of a 32-minute game,” Aniska said. “If a couple of those went in our favor, the outcome could have changed in our favor, as well.”

The second quarter continued the trend of physical play, as nine fouls were called in the first half.

Riverside was whistled for five, while West Catholic received four fouls. Both fanbases traveled well and voiced their displeasure with the officiating.

In the second half, the crowd’s energy increased, making communication on the court difficult.

“I don’t think it was anything we weren’t ready for,” Aniska said. “We’re not intimidated by the crowd or a team that has a significant size advantage. It’s nothing we haven’t been through before, so I don’t think that played into the outcome of the game.”

The intensity and physicality remained constant, as both teams finished with 16 fouls.

West Catholic scored two baskets to open the third quarter, prompting a Riverside timeout. Starting in the second quarter and into the third, the Vikings didn’t score for four minutes.

McNally scored nine second-half points to lead the charge and Antoniacci hit the team’s second 3-pointer, but it wasn’t enough as Riverside was outscored, 31-24, in the second half.

The loss marked the end of the Vikings’ 25-3 season, and also served as the final game for a number of key contributors.

“This could arguably be the best senior class in Riverside history,” Aniska said. “We got the back-to-back district championships. This is the first time we’ve advanced to the quarterfinals in 25 years.

“But more importantly, they’ve just represented Riverside the right way. They are high-character individuals that are deeply woven into the community. I’m just thankful that I get to be their coach.”

McNally and Gerry Rose, who each eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for their careers, headline a group of Riverside seniors — including Richie Kostoff, Matthew Godlewski, Mason Rickert, Waldermar Mercado and JJ Rogers — who leave behind a notable legacy.

“The most important thing we established is that we can go toe-to-toe with anybody in the state,” Aniska said. “That’s a credit to the senior class that has established the standard of what we expect out of our program.”

West Catholic advances to the state semifinals, which ware scheduled for March 22 at a time and location to be announced. The Burrs will face Holy Cross, a 63-52 winner over Lancaster Mennonite in Saturday’s other quarterfinal matchup at Liberty.

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