MONTPELIER — The Otter Valley Union High School boys’ basketball team stayed hot on Friday, when the No. 5 Otters started fast and then held off host No. 4 Montpelier, 49-46, in a Division II quarterfinal.
The 15-7 Otters, winners of nine of their past 10 games, were rewarded with a berth in Monday’s semifinal at 8:15 p.m. against a familiar foe: No. 1 Fair Haven.
The 17-5 Slaters defeated OV twice this season, 63-50 in Fair Haven and 60-52 in Brandon. That second setback came on Feb. 14 and was the last time the Otters lost a game.
Early in this past Friday’s quarterfinal at Montpelier the Otters threatened to rout the 15-7 Solons. At one point in the first quarter the Otters nailed five consecutive three-pointers on the way to an 18-9 lead after one period.
OV still led by nine, 24-15, midway through the second period, and poor free-throw shooting by Montpelier (four-for-nine in the quarter, per the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus) allowed the Otters to maintain a seven-point edge, 31-24, at the half.
The Solons cut the lead to two in a low-scoring third period, which ended with OV clinging to a 36-32 lead. Montpelier pulled to within 47-46 late in the game’s final minute, but missed a go-ahead three-point attempt, and the Otters sank two free throws with a second to go to create the final score.
Dylan Mackie (14 points), Josh Letourneau (11) and Tyler Rowe (eight) paced OV. Danny Bruce (20 points) and Liam Mears (12) led the way for the Solons.