Clash of the Giants: D1 Rice vs D1 St. J
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It was a big team win for St. Johnsbury over longtime foe Rice Memorial. Check out who stood out in this early season matchup between two of D1’s perennial top teams! Hayden Wilkins Hayden Wilkins 5'8" | PG Saint Johnsbury…
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Continue ReadingIt was a big team win for St. Johnsbury over longtime foe Rice Memorial. Check out who stood out in this early season matchup between two of D1’s perennial top teams!
Hayden Wilkins Hayden Wilkins 5'8" | PG Saint Johnsbury Academy | 2024 State New E , 5’8 G – St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 2024
It was a steady game for Hayden. She consistently made small, winning contributions to the St. J effort in what was a tight game all four quarters. Wilkins provided seven points off of a three, an and-1 drive and a free throw down the stretch. But more so, it was Hayden’s constant on-ball pressure and poise down the stretch that lifted St. J. There are times where I think Hayden could call her own number more often, nonetheless, she was integral in a big road win against the defending champs.
Cassidy Kittredge Cassidy Kittredge 5'10" | SG ST Johnsbury | 2025 State New E , 5’11 G/W – St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 2025
Cassidy is a player who can fly under the radar, but she tends to come up with big plays when it matters. Such was the case against this evening. Kittredge led St. J with 12 points and half of that production came in the fourth. Cassidy hit two monster threes in the final frame to stretch the lead enough for St. J to hold on. Moreover, she facilitated nicely in the halfcourt and showcased heady off-ball movement to make plays for herself and others. Of course, her length and rebounding on the defensive end proved necessary to scrape out the W. Cassidy impressed in this one.
Lillian Kittredge, 5’11 F – St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 2023
A senior leader for this St. J squad, Lillian brings a versatile offensive game and sturdy interior presence. Kittredge has nice post-up game and she collected a few easy two’s off of baby hooks due to her early work gaining position. Yet she can also step it out. The lefty opened the game with a crisp 16-footer, but it was evident that she made a concerted effort not to settle for jumpers. Instead, she battled on the boards, ran ball screens and held down the paint. A solid outing from Kittredge.
Elyse Macdonough, 5’8 G – Rice Memorial High School Class of 2024
It seems that Rice is still finding their offensive identity this year and I liked the versatility Elyse showed this game. MacDonough can run either the 1 or 2 guard, yet she took on a 2-guard role in this one. Elyse was burning her defender’s fuel as she ran off of myriad screens each time down the floor. She read defensive coverage well and adjusted how she came off screens to create the most space. Her three-level scoring produced 23 points and she carried Rice in the final minutes with a number of big shots. It should be noted, Elyse absolutely hawked the ball and hustled all 32. MacDonough is a two-way talent.
Kelli Cieplicki, 5’9 G/W – Rice Memorial High School Class of 2024
Kelli too showed her multifaceted game in this one. Cieplicki did much of the facilitating on offense, bringing the ball down the floor and getting the offense into sets. She demonstrated an ability to get into the second layer where she had a number of savvy finishes with her footwork and collected a couple of assists off of kick outs. In addition, Kelli reeled in rebounds and showed nice defensive versatility as she covered essentially 1-5 throughout the contest. Cieplicki’s swiss army knife capabilities are key for Rice this year.
Rosa Kori Rosa Kori 5'10" | PF Rice Memorial | 2026 State New E , 5’9 W – Rice Memorial High School Class of 2026
The young one has stepped into a starting role for the defending state champ’s as she provides some much-needed rebounding and interior defense. Kori has a tremendous motor, and she attacked the glass on both ends in this one. Her physicality gave her solid positioning to rebound, and she was able to affect a number of shot attempts around the rim. With a lot of run at the varsity level and terrific coaching around her I expect she’ll grow substantially over the winter.