‘Confident’ GM boys capture 8 seed in win streak, face Peoples tonight in Chester

By Evan Chadwick
©2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Winners of their last three games, the Green Mountain boys basketball team appears to be peaking at just the right time.

As a result of their recent win streak, Coach Brian Rapanotti’s squad has captured the 8 Seed in the upcoming Division 3 boys basketball tournament and will host the People’s Academy Wolves at 7 p.m. tonight in Chester.

“We are playing with confidence,” said Rapanotti. “Boys are locked in and excited to have an opportunity to get back to Barre.”

The Wolves enter the contest at 9-9 on the season and finished the slate of regular season games with two straight wins over Lamoille and Danville.

“They (Peoples) have some talent,” said Rapanotti. “We have to maintain our identity and win on the defensive side of the ball if we are going to come out ahead in this one.”

The identity Rapanotti speaks of is the fast-paced, borderline frantic, up-and-down style he likes to play. This style played full dividend in GM’s last two contests with Twin Valley and Mill River, as the Chieftains averaged 67.5 points in these two victories.

Should GM come out victorious tonight, they will next face off with the winner of the No. 16 seed Stowe vs. No. 1 seed Winooski matchup, on Friday evening. The highest remaining seed after the first round will host the quarter-final matchup.

This potential contest with a trip to the Barre Auditorium is far from Coach Rapanotti’s mind currently, as he prepares his young men for the challenge that lies ahead in a win-or-go-home scenario that will play out in front of the Green Mountain fans tonight.