Montpelier may have come in at the #4 seed, but they’ve put together a D2 dynasty. They’ve played in four straight title games and completed a title 3-peat this past week, cementing themselves in VT basketball lore. North Country battled,…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inMontpelier may have come in at the #4 seed, but they’ve put together a D2 dynasty. They’ve played in four straight title games and completed a title 3-peat this past week, cementing themselves in VT basketball lore. North Country battled, but MHS’ combination of size, guard play, and athleticism proved too much, ending in a 63-36 final. Check out the standouts below!
MVP: Ronnie Riby-Williams
Ronnie Riby-Williams, 6’0 G/W – Montpelier High School Class of 2023
Ronnie made the MVP selection easy. Riby-Williams was constantly making plays on both sides of the ball. He racked up nine boards, using his strength and athleticism to box out and keep NCU bigs off the glass. Once the ball was secured, he pushed hard in the open court for multiple coast-to-coast lays. Moreover, he forced numerous turnovers both on and off the ball, and once in transition it’s a wrap. Ronnie’s combination of speed, strength and skill provided him tons of finishes at the rim regardless of traffic inside. Riby-Williams finished with 22 points, nine boards, three assists, and a couple steals. He’s a multi-sport champ, a leader, and an incredible two-way player. Well earned.
Standouts:
Clayton Foster, 5’9 G – Montpelier High School Class of 2025
Foster’s quiet and constant work doesn’t always jump out at you, but it can’t be denied that he’s highly impactful, as was the case in this one. Clayton made all kinds of plays. From heads-up steals off the ball to nice anticipation to secure boards and 50/50 balls, Foster was everywhere. Moreover, he showed the willingness to sacrifice his body as he took one or two charges inside. And that’s just the defensive work. Offensively he was just as smart and efficient. Foster had seven points on maybe three to four shots, and savvy reads for five assists. Clayton played his role near perfectly.
Andrew Tringe, 6’6 F – Montpelier High School Class of 2023
The big fella was lock down! Tringe commanded the paint all night. With 10 boards and a fearsome six blocks, Andrew was keyed in on owning the interior. He prevented post entries well in M2M defense, then in MHS’ 3-2 zone he was able to roam and clog the paint against drives and post feeds. And even in the zone Andrew got to bodies for box outs, then with the board secured, he hit quick outlets. He added a cool six points offensively, but it was his defensive presence which was most dominant. Tringe was locked in and key to victory.
Carter Bruzzese, 5’9 G – Montpelier High School Class of 2025
The young floor general showed little to no signs of apprehension. Defensively he was disruptive but measured, rarely ever taking himself out of the play but constantly in opponent’s air space. Then offensively, he contributed wisely and within the flow of the game. Carter didn’t shoot it great, but he knocked down a 3 and added a bucket at the rim, part of his seven points. But his facilitation was exceptional. Carter added six assists, both in the halfcourt and transition. With thoughtful drives and sound reads of the defense, he picked NCU apart. Bruzzese was clinical.
Cooper Brueck, 6’1 G – North Country Union High School Class of 2023
An athletic guard who does a little of everything, Cooper kept NCU battling. Brueck’s defense is always on, and he worked MHS ballhandlers with his quickness, length and toughness. Moreover, he added numerous boards, putting in solid work against MHS’ relentless size inside. Additionally, Cooper’s offense was critical. Brueck was the only player from NCU to score double digits, finishing with 12 points. He found his scoring at the rim, making aggressive drives to the cup for finishes and some FT’s. In a game where NCU had little control, Cooper led with poise and persistence.
Haiden Boivin, 6’3 F – North Country Union High School Class of 2025
Boivin showed some flashes of two-way game in this one. Haiden finished a handful of buckets around the rim, showing nice awareness of MHS bigs around the interior. Moreover, he put in solid work on the glass as he battled against the persistent forwards of Montpelier. All in all, Boivin put together some nice plays, and this experience should sharpen his resolve. I like Haiden’s potential.
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