VT Open Runs: Green Mountain Select

I dropped into a Green Mountain Select open gym over the weekend and boy did they impress. Lots of shooting, hoop IQ, and athleticism with this group. Dig in!

Cooper Diego, 6’2 G – Spaulding Class of 2023

Cooper’s name has floated around the circuit and for good reason; he’s a big point guard who can facilitate just as well as he can score it, and he can match up 1-3 defensively. Diego got teammates involved with timely passes in transition as well as in the halfcourt. He sets guys up well off of drives + kick outs or off of their own cuts, hitting teammates in rhythm for easy finishes. If he’s not distributing, he’s likely scoring at the rim or pulling up for a short-range floater. Diego showed off his long-range rhythm too, hitting threes off the bounce and off the catch from deep. Cooper and company at Spaulding are poised for a big year.

Tavarius Vance, 6’1 G – Spaulding Class of 2023

People may not know the name Tavarius Vance yet, but you’d be wrong not to put him on your prospect list. Vance was absolutely electric, shooting a high volume of threes with insane efficiency. It could’ve been off the bounce or the catch, it didn’t seem to matter as Vance knocked down shots from 20+ feet. Tavarius also gets to the rack well off of hesitations and crossovers, finishing at the rim through contact or punching home a jam in transition. Defensively savvy too, Vance can lock in on the ball and take guys out of their comfort zone. Athletic, long, and an absolute bucket, Tavarius showed out. I’m looking forward to more of that this winter.

Riley Severly, 6’4 F – Spaulding Class of 2023

Riley is one of these smooth forwards who can give you the work in the post or take you outside and beat you off the dribble. Severly displayed a smooth little euro-step, using his frame to body up defenders and then slowed up to step around, finishing at the rack with ease. On the defensive end, Riley showed a strong sense of timing around the rim, elevating to block shots by getting to the peak of his jump just as the shot was released. Severly is another who’s poised for a strong school season.

Tyler Bergmans, 6’2 G – South Burlington Class of 2024

Green Mountain Select is chock full of strong guard play and Tyler is no exception. Bergmans is a heady guard who plays physical, getting downhill and finishing with patience through contact. Moreover, he’s got a nice sense of spacing and hits guys consistently as they slide into open space for kick outs. Bergmans is also a knockdown shooter off the catch, showing an ability to cut well off the ball and hit looks consistently. Defensively, Tyler can guard 1-3 and moves seamlessly into help position when off the ball. And off the rebound, he’s a coast-to-coast playmaker. Tyler does a little of everything.

Cole McAllister, 5’8 G – Spaulding Class of 2023

Cole is an absolute athlete, catching my eye with impressive elevation and lateral quickness. McAllister consistently converts looks inside the paint with nice touch, and it’s his elevation that allows him to break through the long arms of swipers and shot blockers, finishing with ease around the rack. I also noted how hard he runs the floor, hustling on defense to recover in transition and absolutely burning the sideline for fastbreak lay-ups. Cole rebounds well for his size too and showed he can stick with most guards on the defensive end. McAllister is one of those guys that does the dirty work and makes winning plays.

Elia Varisco, 6’3 G – Richford Class of 2024

Varisco is a newcomer to the area yet he’s fitting in quite nicely with his savvy iso game. Elia showed out with hesitation dribbles that opened up clean looks from three and crafty step throughs once the defense began to overplay, finishing inside with smooth floaters and lays. Varisco is a long guard who could feasibly defend 2-4 depending on the size at the forward slot since he has so much length as well as a keen sense of how a guy wants to get to his spot. I anticipate we’ll see some big numbers out Elia this winter.

Isaac Davis, 6’8 F – Spaulding Class of 2023

With Isaac’s size and strength, he can really hold down the fort. Davis is a classic intimidator around the rim, blocking shots or affecting shots due to his sheer presence. He collected rebounds throughout the afternoon, sparking fastbreak opportunities with quick outlets to guards. And on the offensive end, he displayed a nice drop step on both sides of the hoop, finishing with strong lay-ups and baby hooks. Moreover, he demonstrated a nice ability to hit shooters in their pocket once guards started digging in. Davis is a classic post presence.

Cleo Bridge, 5’11 G – Montpelier Class of 2025

Yet again, another strong guard from GMS. Cleo can put it on the floor and get to the cup quickly off the dribble or create space to knock down the three. Moreover, he made others around him better with quick kick outs off the drive or by simply moving the rock quickly around the perimeter and cutting hard himself. On the defensive end, Bridge put in work by being physical with driving guards and moving his feet to cut them off. Bridge will be a key piece for Montpelier going into his sophomore year.