The Fray for #2: D1 CVU vs D1 St. Johnsbury

There were two highly anticipated D1 games Monday night. One featured #1 ranked Rice vs #6 Burlington, and this one, #2 CVU vs #3 SJA. This one was atop my radar due to the fact that I rarely get to see St. J in the flesh. And well, they didn't disappoint. St. Johnsbury took care of business, taking down the defending state champs on their home floor and snatching the #2 position in the D1 rankings. Let's drop in and see who stood out!   [player_tooltip player_id='1227861' first='Harry' last='Geng'], 6'2 G - St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 2024   I finally got to see Harry live and it was sheer excellence all game. He led St. J to victory with communication and two-way impact. Geng's on-ball D culminated in numerous turnovers due to his long arms and quick sleight of hand. From there, he burst into the open court and his scoring flourished, finishing transition opportunities with attacks on the rim and smart feeds. Plus, his halfcourt game featured impressive scoring ability, especially when getting downhill and making reads in the second layer. Harry led all scorers with 22 and is the top guard in the VPA with his two-way talent and leadership.   [player_tooltip player_id='2396750' first='Rex' last='Hauser'], 6'5 G/W - St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 2025   Hauser just does it all. Rex played sound defense against CVU's primary big, forcing tough shots and collecting boards. Moreover, he displayed his versatility, playing in various situations across St. J's morphing matchup zone. On the other end, Rex contributed a bit of everything. Hauser got to the rack and finished a number of savvy finishes around the rim, he hit the 3, and fed teammates off of his smart moves and heady reads. Plus, he made a number of plays directly off rebounds, flashing quick transition playmaking and court vision. Love his talent and ability to do everything on the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='2546968' first='Kerrick' last='Medose'], 6'1 G - St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 2025   With Kerrick you get someone who does a lot of the little stuff, stuff that doesn't show up in the box score. Medose's orchestrating of the offense + timely distribution organized St. J, and he added a few buckets here and there. Yet even though his shot wasn't quite falling, he still impacted the game thoroughly. He provided smart defense and tight rotations within their matchup zone, and generally kept the Hilltoppers running their tightly knit, disciplined game on both ends. Solid work elevating those around him.   Colby Morehouse, 6'4 W - Champlain Valley Union H.S. Class of 2024   It was Colby's shooting that really gave CVU the juice they needed to hang around in the one. Morehouse put together a quick 7-point run in the first frame, netting a 3-ball, a long-range jumper, and a smart backdoor. In addition, Colby's rebounding against St. J's zone kept a number of possessions alive, helping CVU keep close. He made a few more important buckets in the 4th, dropping a couple more jumpers and going for 17 on the night. Morehouse's stroke kept CVU right on SJA's heels all night.   [player_tooltip player_id='2313121' first='Tucker' last='Tharpe'], 6'7 F - Champlain Valley Union H.S. Class of 2024   Steady was my word for Tucker in this one. Tharpe steadily attacked from the short corner to the block with powerful back downs and savvy footwork around the rim. He finished at a good clip around the rim, putting up 10 points, even though a few that looked like gimmes rolled out. Moreover, he saw the floor well and made a number of nice feeds as he read the zone rotations. On the defensive end, Tucker maintained a stout rim presence and cleared the glass consistently. When the offense went through Tharpe, good things happened.   Jack St. Peter, 6'1 G/W - Champlain Valley Union H.S. Class of 2024   An unsung hero in this one, JSP provided so much for a team that was a little out of sorts against this rangy zone of SJA. St. Peter got the juices flowing for CVUs offense with his heady off-ball movement. Whether on the perimeter or behind the zone, Jack was finding holes and exploiting them. He knocked down a couple long balls and a couple paint finishes when flashing into the teeth of the defense, notching 10 on the night. Furthermore, Jack too tracked down some offensive boards, made smart kick outs, and spaced well to catch and shoot. If JSP brings this consistently, CVU will have a much-needed floor spacer and greaser of the offense.

There were two highly anticipated D1 games Monday night. One featured #1 ranked Rice vs #6 Burlington, and this one, #2 CVU vs #3 SJA. This one was atop my radar due to the fact that I rarely get to see St. J in the flesh. And well, they didn't disappoint. St. Johnsbury took care of business, taking down the defending state champs on their home floor and snatching the #2 position in the D1 rankings. Let's drop in and see who stood out!