ADDISON COUNTY — In local high school boys’ basketball action on Tuesday, Vergennes won big at home to remain unbeaten, Mount Abraham worked overtime to defeat visiting Otter Valley, and Middlebury suffered not only its first loss, but also a key injury.
COMMODORES
The Commodores doubled up visiting Montpelier, 80-40, in their home opener after taking a 29-13 first-quarter lead. VUHS coach Peter Quinn described his team’s second quarter as “lethargic,” but Charlie Stapleford’s buzzer-beating three-pointer gave VUHS a 15-point lead at the break, 41-26.
Quinn said the Commodores “quickly put the game away” in the second half, during which he substituted freely and VUHS outscored the Solons by 39-14.
Eleven Commodores scored, led by Stapleford (17), Devin Hayes (14 after starting for the ailing Cody Quattrocci), and Zach Ouellette (12). Stanley Salley contributed nine points and eight rebounds, and Hayes (eight rebounds) and Dan McGrath (six) also helped on the boards. Quinn was also happy with the Commodores’ ballhandling (only seven turnovers), defensive effort (15 steals) and shooting (55 percent from two-point range and 47 percent from behind the arc.)
The 4-0 Commodores, who are ranked No. 1 in Division II in the state’s coaches’ poll, return to the road for their next four games — at Harwood on Thursday, at Randolph on Saturday, and then at Spaulding’s holiday tournament on Dec. 27 and 29, against U-32 and Brattleboro, respectively.
OV AT MT. ABE
Mount Abe avenged last winter’s two close losses to OV with a 68-65 overtime win at home. The Eagles had to overcome a 34-point, 10-rebound night from OV senior forward Ryan Kelley to pull out the victory. They did so with 23 points and 11 boards from senior Jona Scott, 18 points from junior Sawyer Kamman, and nine from senior Ryan Barnes. OV senior John Winslow supported Kelley with 17 points.
The 0-2 Otters have two home games this week: Springfield on Thursday night and MUHS on Saturday afternoon.
The 1-2 Eagles play at BFA-Fairfax on Friday night.
TIGERS
Visiting Rutland dealt the Tigers a 56-38 setback, a game in which Tiger starting senior point guard and co-captain Mitchell Clarke suffered what appeared to be a severe ankle sprain in the second quarter.
Rutland, which entered the game ranked No. 3 in the D-I coaches’ poll, improved to 2-2.
The Tigers, ranked No. 4 before the loss, dropped to 2-1 despite 11 points apiece from Perry DeLorenzo and Marrott Weekes.
After their Saturday game at OV, the Tigers are off until Dec. 28 at Harwood.