The final week of the regular season will determine if Holy Cross wins the Lackawanna League Division 3 boys basketball title.
The Crusaders have certainly left their mark on Division 4.
Hayden Hosie scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures Saturday afternoon as Holy Cross reached its new scoring high for this season while pounding visiting Forest City, 82-55, in a non-league meeting of Lackawanna boys basketball contenders.
Holy Cross has a half-game lead in Division 3 while Forest City is a half-game out of the lead in Division 4.
The Crusaders scored 52 points in the first half and finished with one more point than their previous season-high, which was set in a win over Division 4 leader Blue Ridge.
Gabe Gonzales added 17 points while Michael Hughes and Logan Tierney scored 13 each for the Crusaders (15-5).
Dylan Bezek scored 16 points for Forest City (11-9).
Bezek scored five straight points early in the game to pull the Foresters within 9-8.
Tierney scored four points while Hughes and Cullen Moran hit 3-pointers in a 12-2 run to a 21-10 lead.
The Crusaders led 27-19 at the end of the first quarter behind 11 points by Tierney.
Max Urbas had seven of his eight points for Forest City during the first quarter.
Holy Cross hit five 3-pointers in the second quarter and a dozen in the game.
Hughes and Gonzales each made two of the 3-pointers in the second quarter while Moran added one as the lead grew to 52-32.
Gonzales had eight points in the quarter.
D.J. Heath scored all nine of his points for Forest City during the first half.
Hosie had 12 points in the second half.
The Crusaders took a 63-42 lead into the fourth quarter, then opened it up from there.
Hosie scored seven points in the fourth quarter.
John Conalogue had all nine of his points for Forest City (11-9) during the fourth quarter.
MORE COVERAGE
Holy Cross-Dunmore Friday game: Gonzales hits game-winner; Crusaders get help, retake lead – NEPA Sports Nation.
Blue Ridge-Forest City Friday game: Rosa, Cranage lift Raiders into lead – NEPA Sports Nation.
