Boy’s Hoops: Rice Fourth Quarter Rally Beats CVU 62-61

SOUTH BURLINGTON — Down by 15 points entering the fourth quarter, the Rice Memorial Green Knights outscored the CVU Redhawks 28-12 over the final eight minutes to pull out a thrilling 62-61 VPA Quarterfinal win in Northfield Savings Bank rivalry series action on Friday night on Bernie Cieplicki Court.

After a back and forth first half which saw the Redhawks come away with a 29-27 advantage, CVU raced past the Knights in the third, outscoring them 20-7 to carry a 49-34 lead into the final frame.

But Rice stepped up their full court defensive pressure over the final eight minutes and behind the scoring of Leo Chaiken and Cam Farris roared back to take a four point lead into the final couple of minutes.

CVU though, regrouped, using three pointers from Ethan Harvey and Paul Keen to force the game back to a 61-61 tie. It came down to the foul line and Rice’s Michel Ndayishimiyeg hit one of two with 8.7 seconds left for the one point edge. CVU pushed it up the floor but did not get a shot to the rim and Rice escaped with the win.

Chaiken led the Green Knights with 23 points, 12 of them in the deciding final quarter. Farris added 18, including 11 in the final stanza. Harvey led CVU with 15 including ten in the second half before fouling out late. Will Burroughs scored 14 for the Redhawks, all of them in the first half, and Graham Walker finished with 12 for CVU, ten of them in their big third quarter run.

Rice, now 19-3. moves on to meet either Mt. Mansfield or Lyndon Institute in the VPA semi-finals on Tuesday night at the Patrick
Gym.

CVU ends their season at 14-8.