My name is Robbie Litchfield and this is my own independent blog covering the most up-to-date news on Leland and Gray varsity basketball. I encourage all to subscribe or check back daily for the newest information. Your support is greatly appreciated. Let's go Rebels!!
TOWNSHEND - The Leland and Gray Rebels beat the Peoples Academy Wolves on Thursday, February 28. Through back and forth play that persisted the entire game, the Rebels emerged victorious with a buzzer-beating play.
After a slow start that gave the fourteenth seededWolves an 11-5 lead, the Rebels started to play better in the second quarter to take the 17-16 lead by halftime. After the third quarter, things started to pick up even more as the Rebels rallied to get their biggest lead of the game, 29-24.
The Wolves countered in the fourth quarter right away to put the game back on edge. After several minutes of play, it came down to the wire: 39-39 with eleven seconds to go, Rebels' ball. The Wolves just made a shot of their own to tie it up and now it was up to the Rebels to finish the game.
The Rebels ran the clock, passing it back and forth until senior Zach Wilkins put up an improvised three to win the game in the final few seconds.
The Rebels head into Saturday ready to face the BFA Fairfax Bullets, the sixth seed. Although they're still home, the Rebels are going to need to work hard in order to contend with northern time.
The Leland and Gray Rebels finish the regular season 15-5 and enter the postseason as the third seed in Division III boys basketball. Their first playoff game will be against the fourteenth seeded Peoples Academy (5-15) at Leland and Gray, Wednesday, February 27. It's hard to compare these two teams based on mutual opponents, Peoples being from up north and Leland and Gray being from the south.
Although Peoples has a subpar record, they are not necessarily a team to be overlooked. Their team points per game (PPG) average is 44.3, compared to the Rebels impressive 55.9. However, when it comes to PPG allowed, Peoples has an average 48.8 whereas the Rebels have a 44.8 - only four points in difference.
This leads me into my second observation. Peoples has played teams from northern Vermont in their regular season schedule, teams such as BFA Fairfax, Northfield, Lake Region, Winooski and the undefeated Williamstown. These are some teams (to name a few) that have given the Rebels problems for many years. A northern or central team has won the Division III basketball state championship every year for the past nine years. In fact, the last southern Vermont teams to even make it to the state championship were our own Rebels and Arlington Eagles in 2003 when we lost 59-50.
Therefore, based on historical figures of recent years, northern teams in Vermont have had ultimately successful finishes. Although Peoples has lost to these teams multiple times over the course of the season, their defensive stats whencompared to the Rebels' show little difference. If the Rebels look to succeed in the playdowns, they're going to have to realize that "fourteenth seed" is just a number and not necessarily a true representation of Peoples' ability to play ball. I think that if both teams play to their best potential, this will be an evenly matched ball game.
12/12/12 Burr and Burton @ Leland and Gray 47-46 L
12/14/12 Poultney @ Leland and Gray 76-50 W
12/19/12 Leland and Gray @ Poultney 70-53 W
12/21/12 Black River @ Leland and Gray 78-12 W
12/28/12 Leland and Gray @ Springfield 44-31 W
01/02/13 Leland and Gray @ Twin Valley 56-52 W
01/04/13 Leland and Gray @ Otter Valley 52-46 W
01/11/13 Green Mountain @ Leland and Gray 70-22 W
01/18/13 Bellows Falls @ Leland and Gray 67-55 W
01/24/13 Leland and Gray @ Proctor 45-36 L
01/29/13 Leland and Gray @ Springfield 51-39 W
02/01/13 Woodstock @ Leland and Gray 63-49 W
02/04/13 Otter Valley @ Leland and Gray 62-49 L
02/07/13 Proctor @ Leland and Gray 46-32 W
02/11/13 Leland and Gray @ Bellows Falls 46-41 W
02/14/13 Twin Valley @ Leland and Gray 52-47 W
02/16/13 Leland and Gray @ West Rutland 56-53 W
02/18/13 Leland and Gray @ Twin Valley 65-57 L
02/19/13 Leland and Gray @ Woodstock 61-46 L
02/22/13 Springfield @ Leland and Gray 56-34 W
Current Record: 15-5
Current Rank (out of 16): 3
Average Index Points: 3.700
Average PPG: 55,9
Average PPG Allowed: 44.8
Varsity Girls:
12/10/12 West Rutland @ Leland and Gray 58-33 L
12/13/12 Mill River @ Leland and Gray26-24 W
12/17/12 Leland and Gray @ Bellows Falls 41-29 W
12/19/12 Leland and Gray @ Windsor 50-29 W
12/28/12 Leland and Gray @ Sharon 57-31 W
12/29/12 Leland and Gray @ Bellows Falls 31-24 W
01/13/13 Leland and Gray @ Mt. St. Joseph 46-33 L
01/17/13 Leland and Gray @ Arlington 36-31 L
01/19/13 Leland and Gray @ West Rutland 48-27 L
01/22/13 Otter Valley @ Leland and Gray 41-31 W
01/25/13 Leland and Gray @ Arlington 51-18 L
01/31/13 Twin Valley @ Leland and Gray 44-35 L
02/05/13 Leland and Gray @ Proctor 63-25 L
02/12/13 Leland and Gray @ Green Mountain 52-32 L
02/15/13 Arlington @ Leland and Gray 48-27 L
02/18/13 Poultney @ Leland and Gray 54-25 W
02/20/13 Green Mountain @ Leland and Gray 50-41 L
02/21/13 Bellows Falls @ Leland and Gray 42-40 W
02/26/13 Leland and Gray @ Twin Valley 48-46 W
02/28/13 Leland and Gray @ Otter Valley
Current Record: 9-10
Current Rank (out of 16): 7
Average Index Points: 2.421
Average PPG: 36.1
Average PPG Allowed: 40.5
TOWNSHEND - The Leland and Gray Rebel girls came back in the fourth quarter to win their final home game of the regular season against the team rival Bellows Falls Terriers Thursday, February 21. With a lot of physicality and fouls aplenty, the Rebels forced a late fourth quarter turn-around to send the game into overtime where they topped the Terriers in a final 42-40.
After losing to the Rebels in their own holiday tournament back in mid-December, the Terriers looked to rain on the Rebels' parade by spoiling their senior night. Things certainly looked to be heading that route throughout most of the game as the Terriers maintained a steady lead throughout the first three quarters, heading into the fourth quarter with a 25-20 lead.
But the Rebels finally put an end to the trail game early in the final quarter as senior captain Alex Morrow made a jumper followed by senior captain Ashley Goddard and junior Haley Buffum who each made a free throw to cut the deficit to 25-24. After another stolen ball, Goddard was fouled again on the shot but this time made both of her foul shots to get the first Rebel lead of the night, 26-25.
After a follow-up jumper by Buffum, the Terriers had to get a move on. Their savior finally came with senior captain Chelsea Wilder who hit a three to tie the game at 28-28. Although Goddard countered with a put back to regain the lead, the Terriers rallied in the final minute of the quarter to put up a free throw and another deadly three by Wilder. With a little over thirty seconds to go, down 33-30, the Rebels had one last play under their belt - the "hail Mary".
Morrow in-bounded the ball to senior captain Chelby Nystrom who passed the ball to Goddard who then swung it cross-court to Buffum. Buffum lined up and took the three, a laser that went in perfectly (see video below). The game was tied at 33-33 and the late quarter heroics allowed the Rebels to have another shot in overtime.
In overtime, the hero of the game shifted towards Goddard, who made both pairs of her free throws to get an early 37-33 lead. The Terriers went 3-4 with their free throw opportunities thereafter, cutting the deficit to a close 37-36. Buffum made both of her foul shots followed by a foul shot made by Nystrom to give the Rebels a 40-36 lead with jut seconds to go.
Wilder stormed down the court and pulled up an improvised, successful three to put the game back into nail-biting mode, 40-39. As the final seconds dwindled down, Goddard made a layup to clinch at least a double overtime for the Rebels who now led 42-39. In the words of Yogi Berra, it was "deja vu all over again" as Wilder raced down the court in the same fashion as when she hit her three just moments ago.
However, junior Elizabeth Gallup takes the credit of fouling Wilder before she could put up a shot, therefore clinching the game regardless of whether Wilder made both free throws. Gallup's intuition paid off as Wilder went 1-2 at the line, ending the game in a final 42-40 score.
The players of the game were Goddard and Buffum. Goddard led the team with fifteen total points on the night with a clinching layup in overtime. Buffum had thirteen points on the night with two three pointers, one being the heroic, late-quarter comeback shot. For Bellows Falls, notable players of the game were Wilder and junior Emily Dufault, who had a combined twenty-eight points for the Terriers. Dufault had thirteen points total and went 8-9 at the free throw line whereas Wilder had fifteen points with three three pointers.
Buffum spoke on her game-tying play, "[Coach] had set the play up during the timeout that the ball would go
outside the three to Ashley, Chelby or I, where we would take the three.
When Ash passed it, I shot it as I was told. Honestly, the ball felt
like it came off my hand completely wrong, and I thought it would be an
air ball. I ran back on defense because I felt sort of bummed out
because I thought I missed our only shot at tying, but when it went in and I
heard the crowd screaming, I was completely shocked."
The big win tonight against a Division II school help the Rebels who are now 8-10. They are currently in eighth place which will grant them at least one home game in the playoffs. Their mission now is to win their last two games to secure the eighth place ranking. Probable candidates for the first round of playoffs include, Windsor, Green Mountain, Richford and Winooski. The Rebels' next game is against the Twin Valley Wildcats on Tuesday, February 26.
TOWNSHEND - The Proctor Phantoms were shut down by the Leland and Gray Rebels on Thursday, February 7. After leading by four points through the first three quarters, the Rebels were finally able to shake the Phantoms off their tail to ultimately win 49-32.
The game took a slow turn right out of the gates. After senior captain Billy Nupp's foul shot to start off the game, both teams struggled to get more points. It was evident right from the beginning that the Phantoms' limited height would take a toll on their outcome of the game. The Rebels immediately dominated down low both on offense and defense, although their baskets were surprisingly scarce. The Phantoms continued to shoot from the outside until junior Ryan Petrini hit a three to get his team on the board. By the end of the quarter, the Rebels only led by four.
Barnum (center) guarding Petrini (right)
The outside-inside contrast continued throughout the remainder of the game as the Phantoms continued to sink deep jumpers while the Rebels made a living with their put-backs. The momentum wasn't in favor of any team in particular but the difference in the score seemed to stay the same. The only exception to this was when Petrini hit two pairs of foul shots in the third quarter to bring his team up 28-27, the only lead they would have that game.
In the fourth quarter, junior Jake Sherman was fouled three consecutive times to give the Rebels a rally. On the third foul, Sherman was able to shoot both his free throws and an additional pair of technical foul shots were called. Bergeron was picked by coach Nystrom to take the shots, going 1-2. Out of the seven total foul shots in that short window of time, four were made.
Bergeron shooting technical foul shots
Bergeron with a block
The Rebels went on to rally the rest of the quarter to win the game 49-32, leaving the Phantoms in the dust. The most notable player of the game was Bergeron who led the team with sixteen total points, seventeen total rebounds and seven blocks.The most notable player for the Phantoms was Petrini who led his team with fifteen points and went 6-7 at the free throw line.
The Phantoms (8-6) have now dropped from fourth to fifth place in the Division IV rankings while the Rebels (11-3) have maintained their second place position in Division III. The next game for the Rebels is against the Bellows Falls Terriers in Bellows Falls Monday, February 11.
The Leland and Gray Rebels host the Otter Valley Otters tonight at 7:30pm. The fourteenth seeded, Division II Otters, who started of the season with eight straight losses, look for revenge against the Rebels who beat them on their court 52-46.
The Otters (3-10) have won three out of their last five games, including a 52-46 over the Proctor Phantoms (who beat the Rebels). The Rebels (10-2) will need to be on their A-game tonight in order to receive some significant index points and maintain their second place rank.
TOWNSHEND - The Woodstock Wasps turned their game into a battle against the Leland and Gray Rebels Friday, February 1. Following a slow start to the game, the Wasps rallied by the end of the first half to get the lead going into hlaftime. However, the Rebels bounced back to dominate the rest of the game and ultimately take home the W.
Avellino bringing ball up
The game started off quick as senior captain Drew Barnum put up the first couple baskets with ease. Both Barnum and senior captain Billy Nupp successfully drove the ball to the rim the rest of the quarter to give the Rebels the lead. The Wasps played flat-footed and couldn't keep up with the Rebels' fast pace. In the final seconds of the first quarter, junor Dougie Avellino hit a buzzer-beating three pointer to put the Wasps behind just 14-10.
Sherman with fast break
Everything was going the Rebels' way in the second quarter as they consistently executed their offensive plays led by junior Jake Sherman. But once senior Reid Langona shot the first basket for the Wasps, things suddenly shifted in the opposite direction for the Rebels. After going scoreless in the first five minutes, the Wasps started a rally that caught up to the Rebels real quick. Avellino hit another pair of threes to help the cause and gave the Wasps their first lead of the game, 24-23.
Barnum with a three
Once the Rebels reemerged from halftime, they looked to put their embarrassing finish behind them. Senior captain Michael Bergeron and Barnum led the Rebels offense by scoring a combined twenty-one points in the third quarter. Barnum, who had thirteen of those points, hit back-to-back-to-back threes that riled up the crowd and the overall momentum. The third quarter rally gave the Rebels a safe 47-33 lead.
By the final quarter, the Rebels showed no intent in stopping. Bergeron broke out with nine points alone with some help from Sherman and Barnum. Both Avellino and Langona hit threes, but to little avail. Although they played hard and scored a sixteen points in the fourth quarter, the Wasps were too far behind to come back.
Bergeron with a putback
The notable players of the game were Bergeron, Sherman and Barnum. Bergeron had seventeen points on the night with five defensive rebounds and seven offensive rebounds. Sherman got thirteen points and led the team with seven steals. Barnum led the team in scoring with twenty-two total points and eight blocks. He also accumulated ten total rebounds. For the Wasps, the most notable player of the game was Avellino, who hit four threes, went 2-2 at the free throw line and scored a total eighteen points.
The Rebels next game is against the Otter Valley Otters at home, Monday, February 4.
