Most Intriguing Teams: 802 D1 Selection – Burlington H.S.

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm going through D1-D4 and looking at the most interesting teams therein! They won't necessarily be the favorite to win the title, but they'll feature exciting young players, fascinating collections of talent, and so on. The season is right around the corner so let's dive in! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Up first: Burlington High School</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you know VT hoops, you know Rice Memorial H.S. has long been a place where students transfer to get the most out of their HS hoop career, and BHS has lost out on some of their best talent over the years. Well, tides have turned, and with two Burlington locals <em>returning </em>to BHS after heading to Rice, BHS is back on the map.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='645653' first='Atika' last='Haji']</strong>, a 5'10 G/W with championship experience and a lethal scoring package rejoins 5'7 PG <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='450194' first='Bree' last='McDonald']</strong>, one of the best scorers in the state herself and former middle school running mate. Haji shoots the 3 well, slashes with force and agility, and in turn, causes tough defensive rotations. The two together bring a dynamic scoring threat to the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moreover, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='579538' first='Rosa' last='Kori']</strong>, a 5'10 W/F, also returns to BHS. She was a key contributor to last year's Rice squad and solidified herself as a strong defender, active rebounder, and offensive connector. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='645616' first='Nylah' last='Mitchell']</strong>, a 5'10 W/F whose post-game glues everything together, provides that inside/out touch with her high-IQ, connective facilitation around the paint. That ought to grease the wheels between two ball dominant perimeter players. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Going further, their perimeter depth is considerable with 5'5 G <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='630313' first='Dieuna' last='Beynonn']</strong>, a 2026 who proved her mettle last year with sound orchestration, defensive savvy, and improved off-ball play. Along with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='645785' first='Hawa' last='Mubarak']</strong>, a 5'9 G/W who does the dirty work, defends multiple positions, makes hustle plays, attacks the rim, and so on. Plus, they have some 2027 guards in <strong>Emma Maley</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1263374' first='Mae' last='Yenkavitch'] </strong>who I could see landing on Varsity. Maybe they'll play half and half, considering the already thorough guard depth and ability to develop at the JV level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The biggest question the Seahorses have to consider is their size and rebounding. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='645616' first='Nylah' last='Mitchell']</strong> will supply that interior effort, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='579538' first='Rosa' last='Kori']</strong>, and 5'9 W/F <strong>Sienna Pitts</strong> too, who both use their frame well to get physical and attack the glass. But they have no six-footers, and all but Nylah tend to play perimeter ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All being said, BHS has some serious firepower with <strong>Bree </strong>and <strong>Atika</strong> creating and <strong>Nylah </strong>connecting + scoring it efficiently. <strong>Rosa's </strong>slashing sharpened alongside a shot which began to show promise over the course of last year and this spring/summer. Plus, <strong>Dieuna </strong>has the ability to run the second unit, turn defense to offense, providing a spark in an offense that'll take time to gel. Their ceiling is high, but it'll take time to build up to their peak. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->