SOUTH BURLINGTON — Anything can happen in a rivalry game, and something big nearly happened on Monday night on Bernie Cieplicki Court. But the top ranked Rice Green Knights fought off repeated challenges from their arch-rivals, the Burlington Seahorses, and came away with a 66-60 victory over BHS. But it was not easy.

After a back and forth first quarter the heavily favored Knights opened a 27-20 second quarter lead, only to see Burlington finish the half on an 11-6 run to trail by just two at the break.

The pattern continued in the second half. Rice went up by as many as eleven points, but they could not shake the Seahorses, who twice came up the floor with chances to tie in the final minutes before Rice sealed the deal at the foul line, nailing nine of eleven free throws down the stretch.

Michel Ndayishimiye led the Green Knights with 23 points, scoring 19 of them in the second half. Sharif Sharif added 17 and Joe Joe Dubrul contributed 16 for the winners.

Seth Jackson led the ‘Horses with 18, with Ryan Murray adding 14 and Bishop Asaro chipping in 12.

With the win Rice is now 13-1. BHS slips to 5-9.