802 D1 Final: Trophy Case

Oh baby! That was that matchup we were all hoping for. It was a close game for a full 32 minutes as Rice clung to a lead, lost it just briefly, then reclaimed it in the final couple minutes to hold BHS off and seal the deal. It's Rice's 4th title in 5 years and they return 4/5 starters as well, but BHS looks poised to contend for years to come as well. Plenty of future college-level talent in this one. Tap in!   [player_tooltip player_id='2325846' first='Abdi' last='Sharif'], 6'4 G/W - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025   Abdi's fingerprints were all over this game. Sharif imposed his slashing ability on BHS throughout the evening, knifing into the lane and using savvy footwork + touch to finish his athletic lays at the rim. He scored out of the post too, using his height and length to finish over defenders. Add in his hawk-like defense, rebounding, 8-10 FT shooting in the 4th, and you get huge line of 23 points, nine boards, four dimes and two steals. Simply put, the player of the game.   [player_tooltip player_id='2325785' first='Owen' last='Eaton'], 6'2 G - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025   There were plenty of moments where Eaton stepped up big to weather the BHS storm. Owen made numerous plays, slashing well and finishing in the second layer continually to maintain the lead. Moreover, he got his hands on numerous shots and altered others with his leaping ability and timing around the rim. Owen's determination to make plays on both ends culminated in a vital 12-points en route to yet another Rice Championship.   [player_tooltip player_id='2396778' first='Grant' last='Cieplicki'], 6'5 W - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025   The unsung hero, [player_tooltip player_id='2396778' first='Grant' last='Cieplicki']. He plays like a savvy vet with his offensive connectivity, decision making, defensive acumen, and flat-out hustle. Grant's passing and off ball movement was crisp as always, as were his reads. He hit the open 3, attacked closeouts intuitively, and made little plays constantly to generate offense. On the defensive end, he plugged up any cracks with his length and anticipation, and then he cleaned the glass. Nine points, nine boards and three blocks on the night. Skilled, high-IQ guy that embraced his role.   [player_tooltip player_id='2312980' first='Drew' last='Bessette'], 6'8 W/F - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2024   It wasn't the most imposing performance, but Bessette made plenty of plays to keep BHS on the ropes. Drew's defense certainly stands out. His versatility was on full display as he'd defend the post, switch onto quick guards, block 3s, block lays, and generally take care of anything on ball. Then came the hammer, a huge and-1 slam midway through the fourth to assert himself. Mix in his connective offensive work and a few rim finishes too, as always. He posted nine points, nine boards, and seven blocks. Quiet work.   [player_tooltip player_id='2547032' first='Dallas' last='St. Peter'], 6'0 G - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025   The sixth man, the spark plug came in and did his job. Dallas' secure ballhandling, slashing, and defensive energy gave Rice a needed boost off the bench. St. Peter's ability to connect and move the ball on offense helped glue it together as did his sly rim finishes and corner 3. Plus, he added a few rebounds and hustle plays elsewhere. Reliable guard who synergizes.   Musa Kasanga, 6'4 G/W - Burlington H.S. Class of 2025   From the jump Musa was on a mission. Kasanga immediately took the game into his hands with his slashing, constantly putting pressure on the rim and finishing at a high clip all night. Whether it was the open court or the half court, didn't matter, he used nice change of pace + direction to get to the rack nearly all night whilst dropping a couple treys. And of course, Kasanga was applying that BHS ball pressure, rotating nicely to help on drives, and rebounding the rock. There were plenty of stretches where he was the most dominant guy on the floor. Excellent game.   [player_tooltip player_id='2711459' first='Pascal' last='Munezero'], 5'9 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   It's impossible to quantify Pascal's impact, but it was felt from the outset. Time and time again, Munezero's agile ball pressure junked ballhandlers up as he cut guys off, got his hands on dribbles, and just generally made guys uncomfortable. That pressure led to a nice little run of his own in the 3rd, collecting multiple turnovers and turning them to transition buckets. Then came clutch time and Pascal hit a huge three to bring the score to a one possession game. He posted 14-points, six rebounds and three steals with relentless two-way energy.   [player_tooltip player_id='2568419' first='Sawyer' last='Judkins'], 5'9 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2027   The kid has no fear. Sawyer played lead guard extensively, organizing against pressure at times and often slashing into the paint where he converted on a number of rim finishes with nice touch. Moreover, he's another who applied constant ball pressure and worked the glass a bit, collecting long rebounds and multiple other loose balls. When it came down to it, Sawyer hit a 3 in the final minute to give BHS hope then damn-near sank another trey to go to overtime. His nine points, six rebounds and competitive juices had BHS right there.   [player_tooltip player_id='2553700' first='Byron' last='Robertson Jr.'], 5'10 G - Burlington H.S. Class of 2026   I like dependability and that's what you get with Byron. He was that clinical lead guard who'd organize BHS at times, and at other times he'd drive and make a play out of the second layer. Furthermore, he brought good ball pressure and used his wiry frame to bother and force tough plays. Steady play from Byron.

Oh baby! That was that matchup we were all hoping for. It was a close game for a full 32 minutes as Rice clung to a lead, lost it just briefly, then reclaimed it in the final couple minutes to hold BHS off and seal the deal. It's Rice's 4th title in 5 years and they return 4/5 starters as well, but BHS looks poised to contend for years to come as well. Plenty of future college-level talent in this one. Tap in!