Antoniacci Erupts as Riverside Ends a Decade Drought at Holy Cross
By: Justin Bradley | SportzWire | January 22, 2026 | Photo courtesy Justin Focus
Thursday night boys basketball at Holy Cross wasn’t just fast, it was relentless.
SportzWire’s No. 3-ranked Riverside Vikings walked into a hostile gym, welcomed back a motivated Holy Cross team getting Adam Badryka back from injury, and survived a full-blown track meet to earn a statement 95–81 victory. The win marked Riverside’s first at Holy Cross in 10 years, and it came with fireworks.
From the opening tip, this one had no brakes.
Nico Antoniacci put on a performance that demanded attention, pouring in 43 points and knocking down five three-pointers as Riverside pushed tempo, attacked mismatches, and refused to let the Crusaders slow the pace. Every time Holy Cross threatened, Antoniacci answered in transition, off the bounce, and from deep.
He wasn’t alone.
Brayden Rose was the perfect running mate, finishing with 27 points, consistently capitalizing when the defense collapsed and punishing Holy Cross for overhelping. Together, the duo turned the night into a scoring clinic, fueling a Vikings offense that looked comfortable living in chaos.
Holy Cross, to its credit, never backed down.
With Adam Badryka back in the lineup, the Crusaders looked re-energized and dangerous. Badryka led the way with a team-high 32 points, burying four three-pointers and attacking downhill as Holy Cross tried to keep pace. CJ Thompson added 20 points, making big shots that kept the Crusaders within striking distance deep into the second half.
The atmosphere matched the moment. Student sections were loud, the crowd was fully engaged, and possessions felt urgent. It was the kind of night where momentum swung quickly and every basket drew a reaction.
Ultimately, Riverside’s pace, and star power proved too much. The Vikings controlled the final stretch, stretched the lead with timely stops, and walked out of one of the toughest gyms in the league with a win that could echo into postseason seeding.
For Holy Cross, the return of Badryka was a promising sign for a late-season push. For Riverside, this was bigger than a road win it was a breakthrough and momentum just in time as they have a juiced up #1 Dunmore Bucks team in their sights.
Ten years later, the Vikings finally leave Holy Cross with a victory. And they did it at full throttle.
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