2024 Vermont high school boys basketball playoff primer and round-by-round predictions
This past weekend's Burlington-Rice clash had nothing at stake for playoff seeds: The Green Knights had already clinched the No. 1 position; the Seahorses were stuck at six.
But the Seahorses' rousing 66-63 victory, their first over Rice in seven years, officially brought the Queen City rivalry — the state's best in my opinion — back to prominence. Vermont high school boys basketball is better when these two teams wage back-and-forth battles like Saturday afternoon at Bill Hammond Gym.
As for the aftermath from Burlington's triumph, the Seahorses will need to win on the road to get to the Final Four while the Green Knights have a bye into the quarterfinals. A third matchup between Rice and BHS this winter could only happen if they both reach the Division I title game.
To set the stage for the boys basketball playoffs, here's our annual Varsity Insider primer and predictions for all four divisions.
Enjoy!
More: Vermont high school playoffs: 2024 VPA winter tournament pairings
Division I — Primer and predictions
► What to know: You won't find a better starting five than what top-seeded Rice (18-2) trots out with Drew Bessette, bound for the University of Vermont in the fall, twin brothers Evan and Owen Eaton, Abdi Sharif and Grant Cieplicki. Of that group, only Bessette is a senior. Prior to the senior-day loss to BHS, the Green Knights were rolling along, eclipsing 70 points in each of their games during a five-game winning streak, including a 94-point effort vs. BFA-St. Albans and 103-point performance at Colchester. Rice is gunning for its fifth straight title-game berth and 10th championship win in coach Paul Pecor's 21 years (and 19th overall in program history). ... Defending champion and No. 2 Champlain Valley (17-3) captured the program's first crown last winter. But despite the graduation of three starters, CVU has remained a title contender from what coach Mike Osborne has built in his tenure. The Redhawks hung tough with Rice in two meetings and split with St. Johnsbury, the latter a victory on the road to close the regular season on a three-game winning streak. While Kyle Eaton's quick-trigger 3s and Tucker Tharpe's inside presence make them a formidable matchup, the Redhawks are one of the deeper squads in the Metro. ... Third-seeded St. Johnsbury (15-5) stumbled over the last three weeks of the regular season, going 2-3. But Harry Geng, the Metro's leading scorer who's committed to St. Michael's College, and Rex Hauser are as dangerous as any offensive duos in the state. The Hilltoppers will also have a home quarterfinal game for their path to the Final Four. ... No. 4 Rutland (15-5) and fifth-seeded South Burlington (12-8) have potentially a juicy quarterfinal matchup on tap, should both advance from the playdowns. ... No. 6 Burlington (11-9) is now fully healthy, fully confident and super-young with two freshmen in the starting lineup. Can the Seahorses ride that momentum for a deep playoff run?
More: Bessette's career game ignites Rice boys basketball's comeback to topple St. Johnsbury
Playdowns
No. 8 Colchester over No. 9 Burr and Burton
No. 13 Essex over No. 4 Rutland
No. 5 South Burlington over No. 12 Mount Mansfield
No. 7 BFA-St. Albans over No. 10 Mount Anthony
No. 6 Burlington over No. 11 Brattleboro
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Rice over Colchester
No. 2 Champlain Valley over BFA
Burlington over No. 3 St. Johnsbury
South Burlington over Essex
Semifinals
Rice over South Burlington
Burlington over CVU
Championship
Rice 53, Burlington 47: Denied a four-peat last winter, Rice returns to top by beating longtime rival for program's for 19th state title.
Division II — Primer and predictions
► What to know: As I chronicled last week, No. 1 Hartford (19-1) is chasing history: The Hurricanes haven't won a state title since 1929, and they haven't reached the semifinals since the 1984 Division I Final Four. Hartford, though, has looked the part of a championship club, playing ultimate team defense in a 1-3-1 and presenting a balanced attack on offense. Hartford enters the tournament with a 14-game winning streak, all by double digits except a 47-39 triumph over Fair Haven The big question for the Hurricanes, if they make it to Barre, is: Can they solve three-time defending champion Montpelier?. ... The second-seeded Montpelier Solons (17-3) opened the season with three losses to the Metro's South Burlington, Rice and Burlington. Outside of a 67-64 win over Spaulding, high-scoring Montpelier has won all of its games by double digits, and are poised to reach the program's fifth straight title game. ... At 15-5, No. 3 Harwood had its best regular season in 13 years, played Montpelier to a 69-58 decision on Feb. 6 and swept fourth-seeded North Country (13-7). ... No. 5 Fair Haven (12-8) loaded up its schedule this winter and is prepared to face any opponent.
Playdowns
No. 8 Missisquoi over No. 9 Lamoille
No. 5 Fair Haven over No. 12 Milton
No. 2 Montpelier over No. 15 Spaulding
No. 7 Middlebury over No. 10 Lake Region
No. 3 Harwood over No. 14 Lyndon
No. 11 Mount Abraham over No. 6 Otter Valley
No. 1 Hartford over No. 16 Mount St. Joseph
No. 4 North Country over No. 13 U-32
Quarterfinals
Hartford over Missisquoi
Montpelier over Middlebury
Harwood over Mount Abraham
Fair Haven over North Country
Semifinals
Hartford over Fair Haven
Montpelier over Harwood
Championship
Hartford 57, Montpelier 56: Hartford breaks 95-year championship drought, but not without one last defensive stop in closing seconds over the three-time reigning champion Solons.
Division III — Primer and predictions
► What to know: In a division with five teams at 16 or more wins, No. 1 Hazen (17-3) has emerged as the title favorite following the Wildcats' regular-season finale victory over No. 2 Thetford (17-3). The Wildcats, who are chasing a ninth crown in program history, lost the first meeting to Thetford on Jan. 5, but have won 12 of 14 games with their only setbacks to D-II's Lyndon and Montpelier. ... No. 3 White River Valley (18-2) was unbeaten against D-III foes (losses to Hartford and D-IV's West Rutland). WRV eclipsed 70 points in eight of their 18 victories. ... No. 4 and defending champion Winooski (17-3) reloaded in some respects off the program's first title in a dozen years. The Spartans enter the tournament riding a 13-game winning streak, counting the forfeit over Craftsbury in the regular-season finale.
Playdowns
No. 2 Thetford over No. 15 Oxbow
No. 1 Hazen over No. 16 Stowe
No. 8 Randolph over No. 9 Woodstock
No. 4 Winooski over No. 13 Bellows Falls
No. 12 Springfield over No. 5 Vergennes
No. 7 BFA-Fairfax over No. 10 Green Mountain
No. 3 White River Valley over No. 14 Mill River
No. 6 Richford over No. 11 Windsor
Quarterfinals
Hazen over Randolph
Winooski over Springfield
White River Valley over Richford
Thetford over Fairfax
Semifinals
Hazen over Winooski
White River Valley over Thetford
Championship
Hazen 65, White River Valley 50: Champions in 2022, runners-up a year ago, the Wildcats claim the program's ninth state crown.
Division IV — Primer and predictions
► What to know: Closing the regular season on a five-game winning streak, No. 1 Danville (16-4) is trending in the right direction: The Bears were the five-seed in 2022 and No. 3 last winter as they seek the program's first crown in five years. The Bears have challengers: No. 2 Grace Christian (17-3) and No. 3 West Rutland (16-4) split their regular-season matchups, while No. 4 Williamstown (13-7) is a perennial contender that has rebuilt following a down year in 2022-23. ... No. 6 Proctor (13-7) went 1-1 vs. West Rutland and only lost by three to Grace Christian in a recent matchup.
Playdowns
No. 4 Williamstown over No. 13 Leland & Gray
No. 5 Twin Valley over No. 12 Arlington
No. 9 Poultney over No. 8 Twinfield/Cabot
No. 2 Grace Christian over No. 15 Northfield
No. 10 Blue Mountain over No. 7 Rivendell
No. 3 West Rutland over No. 14 Craftsbury
No. 6 Proctor over No. 11 Long Trail
Quarterfinals
Danville over Poultney
Grace Christian over Blue Mountain
West Rutland over Proctor
Williamstown over Twin Valley
Semifinals
Williamstown over Danville
West Rutland over Grace Christian
Championship
West Rutland 60, Williamstown 58: West Rutland hangs on for its first championship in 29 years.
Become a member of the Vermont Varsity Insider Facebook group at https://bit.ly/2MGSfvX.
Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont high school boys basketball playoff primer and predictions
