Rose Rises as Riverside Outpaces Wilkes-Barre Area, 62-48
By: Carrie Miner Yaple | SportzWire | December 13, 2025 | Photo courtesy Carrie Miner Yaple @v1sion_media
Plains, PA - Friday, December 12, 2025
Riverside faced a stiff test Friday night, but balance and timely execution carried the Vikings past Wilkes-Barre Area in a 62-48 victory before a packed gym.
Much of the attention entering the matchup centered on Riverside standout Nico Antoniacci, one of the area’s most heavily recruited players. Wilkes-Barre Area made limiting his scoring a priority and succeeded in holding him to 23 points, his lowest output of the season. Even so, Riverside never lost control, thanks largely to a breakout performance from Brayden Rose.
Rose delivered his most impactful game in a Riverside uniform, pouring in a game-high 27 points while dominating the glass with 11 rebounds. His athleticism showed throughout the night, highlighted by three emphatic dunks — two coming during the fourth quarter when Wilkes-Barre Area briefly threatened to close the gap.
While Antoniacci commanded defensive attention, Rose consistently found openings, especially after halftime. Riverside leaned on him during a decisive third quarter stretch in which the Vikings began to separate themselves.
Wilkes-Barre Area showed early energy, closing the first quarter on a 10-0 run behind Mike Keating to take a 16-14 edge. The Wolfpack continued to battle in the second quarter and briefly led late in the half when David Jannuzzi knocked down a three-pointer. Riverside responded immediately, as Rose scored five straight points to send the Vikings into halftime with a narrow 29-27 advantage.
The turning point came midway through the third quarter. Despite shooting struggles, Wilkes-Barre Area stayed within striking distance until Antoniacci buried a three-pointer and followed it with two technical free throws, pushing the lead into double digits for the first time. Antoniacci and Kyle Connor added back-to-back threes late in the quarter, and Riverside carried a 48-36 lead into the final eight minutes.
From there, Rose took over. His work on the boards and his ability to finish strong around the rim shut down any momentum Wilkes-Barre Area hoped to build.
David Jannuzzi led the Wolfpack with 18 points, while Keating added 17. Wilkes-Barre Area dropped to 3-2 against a demanding early schedule that has included multiple district champions and finalists.
Riverside improved to 4-0 and extended its remarkable run to 51 wins in its last 57 games dating back to the start of the 2023-24 season, a stretch that includes back-to-back District 2 Class 3A titles. On a night when its star scorer was somewhat contained, Riverside showed it has plenty of other ways to win.
