Milestone Night in Bucktown: Canavan Joins History as Dunmore Rolls Past Holy Cross
By: Justin Bradley | SportzWire | February 5, 2026 | Photo courtesy Justin Bradley
The storyline was already set before the opening tip.
Dunmore came in looking to answer last week’s loss to Riverside. Holy Cross arrived surging, healthy, and eyeing a late-season push. What followed Thursday night in Bucktown was a rivalry clash with edge and a performance that swung firmly in one direction.
Behind Brayden Canavan and Nate Aviles, Dunmore pulled away for an 88–61 Division II win over Holy Cross, mixing efficiency, pace, and purpose from start to finish.
Canavan delivered the headline moment and then some.
The senior finished with 25 points, becoming the 13th boys basketball player in Dunmore High School history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He’s the first Buck to do it since Matt Clark and John Rinaldi hit the mark in the same game back in 2013. On a night built for memories, Canavan etched his name alongside some of the program’s greats.
Aviles was right there with him.
The senior poured in 24 points, attacking gaps, knocking down shots, and making sure Holy Cross never found a way back. Carter Sload added 17 points, while Jimmy Clark chipped in 16, giving Dunmore scoring balance that kept pressure on the Crusaders all night.
Holy Cross showed flashes, but couldn’t slow the momentum.
Colin Farrell led the Crusaders with 20 points, stretching the floor with five triples. CJ Thompson added 12, and Adam Badyrka contributed 11 as Holy Cross tried to counter Dunmore’s pace with perimeter shooting.
The Bucks’ consistency told the story. After building an early lead, Dunmore continued to stack quality possessions, winning every quarter and forcing Holy Cross to play catch-up. Defensive stops turned into transition chances, and the crowd fed off every run.
With the win, Dunmore improves to 18–2, with its only losses coming against Scranton Prep in the Lynett Tournament and Riverside last week. The Bucks close the regular season with Honesdale on Monday and a marquee league matchup Wednesday vs. Old Forge.
Holy Cross moves to 11–9 and will host Western Wayne before finishing the regular season on the road at Honesdale ahead of district play.
On a night that mixed rivalry, response, and recognition, Dunmore delivered all three and Brayden Canavan delivered a moment Bucktown won’t forget.
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