Hoops Watch is updated weekly by Trey Peiffer
Happy President’s Day. Here is my final Hoops Watch of the season. My top five teams remain the same but there was a lot of shuffling farther down. BFA, CVU, Missisquoi, and Mill River are all on their way up while Brattleboro and Burr & Burton and heading in the wrong direction.
I have also listed the remaining games for each of the teams in my Top 11. Boys basketball pairings will be announced Monday, February 27th.
Trey’s Top 11
| Rank | Team Name | Record | LW | Notes |
| 1 | Rice | 16-1 | 1 | Sixteen straight wins and counting for the Green Knights. Rice grabs the #1 seed if they win out. Last three: vs. South Burington, at Spaulding, vs. Rutland |
| 2 | Mt. Mansfield | 17-1 | 2 | A couple close calls for the Cougars last week, but they still went 2-0. Last two: vs. St. J , vs. South Burlington |
| 3 | Mt. St. Joseph | 17-1 | 3 | The Mounties swept the season series against Rutland for the first time in a while. Last two: at Brattleboro, vs. BBA |
| 4 | Rutland | 15-3 | 4 | The Raiders lost to MSJ and beat Brattleboro last week. Rutland’s only three losses: vs. Rice, and 2 vs. MSJ. Last two: at MAU, and at Rice |
| 5 | Vergennes | 17-1 | 5 | The Commodores win streak is up to 11 straight. Last two: at Middlebury, vs. Missisquoi |
| 6 | BFA St. Albans | 11-7 | 7 | The Bobwhites edged out MVU last week as part of a 2-0 week. Last two: at Milton, vs. Middlebury |
| 7 | CVU | 9-9 | 9 | The Redhawks lost a close one to MMU but topped Colchester to stay on track for a first-round home game. Last two: at Essex, vs. North Country |
| 8 | Brattleboro | 11-7 | 6 | The Colonels have lost four games in a row: 2 vs. Rutland, vs. MAU, at MSJ. Last two: vs. MSJ, at Mt. Anthony |
| 9 | Mill River | 14-4 | 11 | The Minutemen have won five in a row, including topping BBA 44-40 last week. Last two: vs. Windsor, at Fair Haven |
| 10 | Missisquoi | 10-8 | — | Matt St. Amour averaged 24 points per game in MVU’s two wins last week. Last two: at Mt. Abraham, at Vergennes |
| 11 | Burr & Burton | 12-6 | 8 | The Bulldogs topped Windsor but lost a close one to Mill River last week. Last two: vs. Fair Haven, at MSJ |
Games to Watch:
TONIGHT & WEDNESDAY
U-32 (13-4) vs. Montpelier (10-6)
The Capital rivals face off two times in three days this week with long win streaks on the line. The Raiders have won seven straight while the Salons have won six straight coming into the week.
TUESDAY
Mt. St. Joseph (17-1) at Brattleboro (11-7)
Can the Colonels gain some confidence before playoff time with a huge home win vs. MSJ? MSJ prevailed 54-50 when the teams met two weeks ago.
FRIDAY
Missisquoi (10-8) at Vergennes (17-1)
Vergennes won this Lake division battle 58-50 when the teams met three weeks ago.
SATURDAY
Rutland (15-3) at Rice (16-1)
In the game of the week in Divison I, Rutland travels up to Rice in a rematch of last year’s title game. Rice rolled over the Raiders 65-50 when the teams met in January.
It just goes to show you the state of this years basketball ! The #7 team CVU
scored only 30 pts. in a 30-27 win over BHS, a game I watched. What would any
of these teams have done against the Windsor teams of 1994 or 1995 ? Many
would have never broken their press ! I still remember them scoring a record
117 pts. in the finals !!
u32 one the first game at the buzzer
Sure seems inevitable that we are headed to a Rice/MMU final…
Rutvegas vs Rice for the title. MMU doesn’t have the depth or the talent Rutvegas is due for a title.
Bratts playin well. Watch out. Beat msj in ot and beat mau, they’ll beat mau again on wednesday night.