BRANDON — The No. 4 Otter Valley Union High School boys’ basketball team shut down visiting No. 13 Harwood on Tuesday, 45-27, in a Division II first round playoff game.
The 15-6 Otters will host No. 5 Vergennes on Saturday at 2 p.m., with the winner earning a date in a Monday night semifinal in Barre, probably against undefeated No. 1 Woodstock, which will host No. 8 Mill River in a Friday quarterfinal.
OV and VUHS did not meet this winter, but have two common opponents. Both handily defeated Mount Abraham twice, while both lost to Middlebury. OV lost at MUHS by 19, while VUHS lost at MUHS by 20 and at home to the Tigers by seven in what was a one-point game in the final two minutes.
The Otters and Commodores finished tied in the D-II standings, but OV earned the higher seed and Saturday’s home quarterfinal by virtue of its better record (2-1 vs. 2-2) against MUHS and Mount Abe.
On Tuesday vs. the 4-17 Highlanders, defense and scoring balance carried the Otters.
Collin Eugair topped OV with 10 points, and John Winslow, Kai Norwood, Derek Aines and Tyler Aines each scored eight points.