Running the Table: D2 Hartford vs D2 Fair Haven
This Hartford team sits atop the D2 rankings and deservingly so. They’ve only taken one loss this season to a good D1 Rutland team, otherwise they’ve pummeled nearly everyone else. Fair Haven has been very up and down so far,…
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Continue ReadingThis Hartford team sits atop the D2 rankings and deservingly so. They’ve only taken one loss this season to a good D1 Rutland team, otherwise they’ve pummeled nearly everyone else. Fair Haven has been very up and down so far, though they’ve caught stride the last few weeks and have evened out to just above .500. Regardless, these are two teams no one wants to face-up with in the playoffs. Check out the standouts from these two top tier D2 programs.
Brody Tyburski, 6’3 F – Hartford Union H.S. Class of 2024
The pillar of Division 2’s top team is Brody. Tyburski’s defensive activity and offensive creation is paramount to the Hurricanes identity. In this one, Brody was up to his usual work. His ability to protect the second layer and rebound the rock within the Canes zone defenses allowed the guards to pressure and force disruption. On the other end, Brody’s post work was clicking. From the block to the elbow, Tyburski made plays both as a scorer and a distributor, using his physical style and nice court awareness to create. Steady, relentless work.
Christian Hathorn, 5’11 G – Hartford Union H.S. Class of 2024
Hartford’s guard play is led by Christian, the savvy 2-guard who stitches it all together on both sides of the ball. Hathorn’s defensive activity was chock full of measured ball pressure and sound rotations, keeping FHU on their heels and forcing difficult passes. Offensively, Christian was simply hitting shots. He moves well off-ball, executing well out of HUHS’ sets and finding little gaps to exploit from 3. His spot-up jumper was falling, leading Hartford with 11 on the night including three treys. Sound two-way player and a senior leader.
Kole Fotion, 5’11 G – Hartford Union H.S. Class of 2026
There were plenty of times watching this game where I said to myself, “Kole looks like the sharpest player on the floor.” Fotion’s footwork on both sides was a quick indicator. He showed nice agility to pressure the ball out of Hartford’s various zone. Moreover, his court awareness and defensive rotations had him in position early, able to disrupt or provide help. And he might even be sharper offensively. The combo-guard showed some orchestration, yet his off-ball work included tightly executed sets, nice utilization of screens, good pivot + jab step work, and crisp shooting from range. Keep tabs on Kole.
Ayodele Lowe, 5’9 G – Hartford Union H.S. Class of 2025
Ayodele is the offensive orchestrator and head of the pressure zone defense of Hartford. Lowe’s organization of the offense had Hartford clicking, getting them into their stuff and putting guys in position to succeed. Moreover, Ayodele flashed the slashing a bit, using nice bursts of speed to explode by defenders and finish inside or draw FTs. On the defensive end, Lowe was everywhere. He moves well at the head of the 1-3-1 and utilizes nice athleticism to pressure and recover. A rock-solid guard who takes care of the ball and wears opponents down.
Joe Buxton, 6’4 W – Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2024
Buxton is one of those guys who tends to have his fingerprints all over each game. Joe’s stat-sheet included a good deal of rebounding, multiple assists whether in the halfcourt, operating in the middle of the floor vs fullcourt pressure, or in transition, and a couple treys to keep the defense honest. His reads against ball pressure were quick and smart, reading the layers well and finding open teammates. FHU didn’t find much rhythm at large and Buxton didn’t provide a ton of scoring, but it was a close game nonetheless. I think Fair Haven actually builds a little confidence after this one.
Jack Almeida, 5’11 G – Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2025
With his two-way effort, Jack brought a much-needed spark for Fair Haven. His presence on the offensive end provided crisp, quick ball movement against the zone and a scoring burst with his jumper. His ability to distribute and juice the offense was key considering Hartford’s zone had FHU out of sorts for stretches at a time. On the defensive end, Almeida brought a similar spark. He was pressuring ballhandlers, rotating tightly, and creating some transition opportunities in doing so. Good stuff from the junior guard.
Sam Kyhill, 5’8 G – Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2027
Stepping in as the freshmen PG is never a smooth, or linear, process. Yet Kyhill is finding stride and it’s become clear that his ballhandling and facilitation is key for this squad. Sam fared rather well against the Hartford pressure, and after he got off the ball he tended to find good spots to relieve pressure and keep the rock moving. Moreover, his defensive footwork, ability to pressure, and off ball instincts are super solid for a ’27. He’s going to flourish with time.