D2 Finals - The Dynasty Lives On: Montpelier vs Harwood

It looked like MHS was going to ride into the sunset on a blowout win, but Harwood said not so fast. After going down 15 or so, HU made it a game in the second half and made Montpelier tidy back up before hoisting their 5th straight D2 Title. Get a read on the standouts below.   Carter Bruzzese, 6'0 G - Montpelier H.S. Class of 2025   Whatever Carter wanted he took in the first half. Bruzzese's first step had him blowing by defenders, snaking into the key, and finishing with efficiency inside amidst the lengthy and athletic contests. The southpaw got to the cup time after time, both in isolation or in ball screen action, and HU had no answers. Carter balanced it with a couple threes to keep the defense honest en route to a 20-point first half. In the second half he slowed down offensively as others caught stride, but his aware defense + rebounding (5 rbd, 2 stl), orchestration (4 ast), and leadership brought another trophy to Montpelier.   [player_tooltip player_id='2377234' first='Carson' last='Cody'], 6'3 W - Montpelier H.S. Class of 2025   If it wasn't Carter, it seemed like it was Carson. Cody added to the huge first half with dynamic slashes of his own, slipping by guys with his quick moves off the catch and smooth finishes at the rim. Plus, he stretched the defense too with a couple threes and worked the ball to keep Harwood moving and defending multiple actions, which was key against the length and size of Harwood. On the defensive end, I liked Carson's work to force tough shots against HU's various drivers, plus he finished key looks in crunch time. With 14-points, Montpelier's all-time leading scorer took care of business.   Clayton Foster, 6'1 G - Montpelier H.S. Class of 2025   Foster's work to tie up loose ends, work the ball, and generally glue everything together culminated in an all-around performance, which was just what the doctor ordered. Foster's heady passing cut HU up, collecting a game-high 8 assists with his savvy court vision and timing. Plus, that vision translated to the defensive end too as he picked up 3 steals and provided plenty of other disruption with his tight rotations and work in the passing lanes. Add in his 4 boards, against one of the few teams with more height than MHS, and his 8 points and you see his fingerprints all over this one.   Kleo Bridge, 6'3 W - Montpelier H.S. Class of 2025   It seemed like Kleo provided a little extra boost each time HU inched closer, especially as the game closed. First of all though, his tough defense had HU's premier athletic finisher struggling to find space around the rim. Plus, Bridge did well to keep him off the glass with box outs and 4 boards of his own, and O boards are a staple of Harwood's offensive diet. But Kleo also added 11 points with physical and finesse drives + short-range pull-ups, often when MHS was struggling to find the net in the second half. The two-way effort shined through.   [player_tooltip player_id='2811950' first='Atif' last='Milak'], 6'8 F - Montpelier H.S. Class of 2025   An early couple fouls against Atif, MHS' premier rim protector, could've derailed the night, but he stayed steady and adjusted his game to remain on the floor and effective. Milak's presence inside had Harwood struggling to finish at the rim, even on the chances he wasn't able to directly contest. Moreover, the clamping down of the interior and hard box outs kept the unrelenting crashing of Harwood from stealing this one. Furthermore, Milak contributed an important 5 points in the final quarter (9 on the night) with an emphatic 2-hand jam in transition, a clinical post touch, and a FT. Steady and impactful in at times subtle ways.   Tucker Buffum, 6'3 W - Harwood Union H.S. Class of 2025   The will from Tucker can't be denied. Buffum's aggression to get to the rack, finish lays inside, and squabble for boards was a key aspect of Harwood's comeback bid. Tucker was all over the paint, whether he was slashing off the catch, cutting around the blocks for dump passes, or snatching the O board for a putback. His 20-points paced Harwood, and his 8 rebounds included a handful of offensive ones which contributed to some buckets. The lengthy, athletic wing battled defensively too, ultimately leaving everything on the floor in a heck of a Finals performance.   Luke Hamel, 6'5 F - Harwood Union H.S. Class of 2025   Hamel's inside activity after the early MHS onslaught proved critical. Luke's rim protection came into effect as he contested shots and blocked 4 of them, plus, he worked the glass to reel in 7 boards which gave HU transition and 2nd chance opportunities. In the halfcourt offensively, I liked Hamel's presence around the elbows. He flashed hard, made good reads, and showed a couple good moves to get to the block or hit the short-range jumper. A physical presence around the key.   Steele Nelson, 6'2 W - Harwood Union H.S. Class of 2026   A guy who routinely racked up double-doubles had his work cut out for him. While Nelson struggled to catch a scoring touch, he didn't let it take away the other things he does so well. Instead, Nelson used his passing to find 4 assists and get others rolling. And of course, he locked in defensively on the ball and off to force a couple turnovers and tough decisions. As always, he worked the glass on both ends too, collecting 8 boards with his agility and strength. A natural athlete who impacts the game with that raw athleticism.

It looked like MHS was going to ride into the sunset on a blowout win, but Harwood said not so fast. After going down 15 or so, HU made it a game in the second half and made Montpelier tidy back up before hoisting their 5th straight D2 Title. Get a read on the standouts below.