D1 BHS vs D1 Rice - Reg. Season Finale: Down Goes Frazier!

Wow! The cross-town rivalry is alive and well after this one. BHS knocks off Rice for their first loss against a VT opponent this year, and for BHS, it's their first win vs Rice in seven years. Led by deep guard play and a plethora of underclassmen, including two freshmen, BHS took care of business with relentless on-ball defense, impressive shooting, and a whole lot of heart. Tap in on this high-profile matchup featuring a ton of talent!   [player_tooltip player_id='2568419' first='Sawyer' last='Judkins'], 5'8 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   One of BHS' many capable lead guards, Sawyer facilitated the offense with poise throughout the matchup. He got BHS into their stuff, collapsed the defense with slashes, and found the range with a couple treys off the bounce. Moreover, Judkins' work out of BHS' pressure defense had Rice's guards out of sorts for stretches at a time. In the final moments, it was Sawyer who iced the game with two huge FT's, ending with 16, to seal the deal. Clutch, athletic, and he comes with a whole lot of heart.   [player_tooltip player_id='2711459' first='Pascal' last='Munezero'], 5'8 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   Okay, Pascal is one of the best on-ball defenders in the state, if not the best. And I don't make such claims lightly. Munezero's aggressive, tactful, and impressively agile on-ball defense caused immeasurable disruption. What could be measured were his steal numbers, and he must've had upwards of five on-ball. And he does so much more. Rebounding, help side D and quick switches, etc., plus, he got to his offense with transition buckets + drives, including a tough double-clutch lay in crunch time. He's highly talented, full of hustle, and his impact is extensive.   [player_tooltip player_id='2553700' first='Byron' last='Robertson Jr.'], 5'9 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2026   It was Byron who got BHS going to open the game. He was locked in on both ends, flashing nice floater game and a huge and-1 three toward the end of the 1st, putting up eight in the frame and 12 total. Moreover, his crafty passing was timely, and you can tell his sense of angles + space is highly developed. He's another adept defender who applied pressure, switched quickly, caught a couple charges, and caused an important jump-ball call late in the 4th to turn possession back to BHS. High-IQ, in control, and impactful in both obvious + subtle ways.   Khamis Ali, 5'11 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2025   I haven't seen Khamis come off the bench often, but with a fully healthy squad and thus incredible guard depth, Ali took the role in stride. He came in hot, nailing a three moments after stepping onto the floor. Ali continued that work throughout the game en route to his 14, hitting four 3s in various ways. Off the catch, off the bounce, after a reload, and so on, reading closeouts quite well and forcing the D to scramble. And of course, he brought that pressure defense too. Huge guy to have off the pine considering he could start for a lot of other programs.   [player_tooltip player_id='2312980' first='Drew' last='Bessette'], 6'8 W/F - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2024   I've noted that, oftentimes, Drew finds his scoring in the flow of the game. But against BHS' relentless pressure, Rice struggled to find much of any flow at large. Regardless, he led Rice with 16 points off of smart movement around the post for finishes, a couple mid to short range jumpers, and FTs. Plus, he put in his typical work rebounding the ball and blocking shots, taking care of the work around the rim well. I imagine he'll be more assertive if there's a next time these two teams matchup.   [player_tooltip player_id='2325785' first='Owen' last='Eaton'], 6'2 G - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025   There are certainties in life, and with Owen, you can be certain he's going to get some buckets. Eaton put up 14 in this one, mainly off of his incredible shooting touch from deep. He was hitting shots off the catch, in transition, side-steps off the bounce, you name it. His release is quick, and he rises with good elevation too. He's a measured defender who caused disruption at times with his length, but it's his scoring that shone through in this one.   [player_tooltip player_id='2325846' first='Abdi' last='Sharif'], 6'4 G - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025   When Abdi gets in the second layer, good things happen. Sharif's a skillful slasher, and when he was able to get within 15-feet, he made all kinds of plays. Abdi fed cutting teammates with timely passes, a result of his court awareness. Plus, he finished a handful of shots at the rim, collecting 11 on the night. Per usual, Sharif reeled in a number of boards and bothered guards with his length and defensive prowess. Solid stuff considering the 32-minutes of pressure defense he endured.   [player_tooltip player_id='2396778' first='Grant' last='Cieplicki'], 6'5 W - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025   Grant's gluey, connective, swiss-army knife work is a key element for the Green Knights. Cieplicki was slicing into the weak side gaps of BHS in the early goings, using smart cutting to get the offense going with quick lays. In addition, Grant moved the ball well to alleviate pressure and work the aggressive BHS defense. Lastly, he held it down defensively and provided good help with his instincts and court awareness. You can rely on that sort of work for Cieplicki.

Wow! The cross-town rivalry is alive and well after this one. BHS knocks off Rice for their first loss against a VT opponent this year, and for BHS, it's their first win vs Rice in seven years. Led by deep guard play and a plethora of underclassmen, including two freshmen, BHS took care of business with relentless on-ball defense, impressive shooting, and a whole lot of heart. Tap in on this high-profile matchup featuring a ton of talent!