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Over a six-day stretch, the Burlington Seahorses impressed with a pair of out-of-state wins in a Massachusetts weekend tournament, lost a key starter to injury and outlasted longtime rival Rice in the teams' championship rematch before South Burlington halted their perfect start to the 2024-25 season in an overtime thriller on Jan. 23.
The loss to South Burlington, though, magnified Burlington's suddenly troubling issues, particularly on defense. And senior Abdi Sharif took it upon himself to speak up in the locker room after the defeat.
"We weren’t playing like ourselves and we all knew that," Sharif said. "I had to tell the guys, 'It wasn't the end of the world, we just have to come back and play harder and it wasn't our style of play.'"
Sharif's emerging voice on a young, but talented squad was the turning point for the Seahorses, snapping everything into place for a championship run.
"He came to me and said, 'I gotta figure out how to be a better leader,'" Burlington coach B.J. Robertson said. "That made me realize that he’s locked in, he’s on board and more open to making the adjustment of becoming a leader."
After helping Rice to the 2023 Division I championship over the Seahorses with a game-high total, Sharif transferred to his hometown school and guided Burlington (22-1) to its first crown since 2016, scoring the most points in a final in three decades with a coolly delivered 29-point, 10-rebound, 32-minute performance at soldout Patrick Gym.
And today, Sharif earns one more title: The Burlington Free Press' Mr. Basketball, an honor given annually since 1991 to the state's top boys basketball player.
"He was the best player on the best team," South Burlington coach Sol Bayer-Pacht said. "When the game was on the line, he wanted the ball and he made the tough shots. His leadership on the court was really on display in the final."
The 6-foot-4 Sharif, who averaged 20.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game, is the first BHS player since Joe O'Shea in 2010 to be named Mr. Basketball. Sharif was also the player-of-the-year recipient from the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association.
"He sacrificed his own personal goals to be honest. He could’ve been averaging 25, 30 points (per game) if he wanted to on probably any other team or if we just allowed him to," said Robertson, a BHS alum who was BFP's 2002 Mr. Basketball. "But we knew the bigger goal was to win a championship. And for him personally to develop as a leader, I think he did that great this year."
Sharif opted to return to BHS for his senior year "to graduate with my friends and play with my friends." The adjustment was "smooth and fine," but Sharif, already with a title on his resume, felt compelled by his BHS teammates to bring a championship back to the Queen City.
"At practice with the guys and seeing how hungry they were every day, that motivated me too to get one back for the city," Sharif said. "It was the talk of the town — Burlington hasn’t won in a long time — so getting the job done was great."
After sweeping the regular-season matchups with Rice, Burlington was the favorite entering the programs' 16th all-time championship matchup on March 7. The heavyweight showdown lived up to the hype, with BHS snagging a 64-60 victory to push the program to a state-leading 22 titles.
One of the game's critical moments came in the closing seconds of the third quarter. With loud boos from the Rice cheering section, Sharif dribbled out the clock before using a crossover to setup a driving layup through contact to break a 38-all tie. BHS led the rest of the way.
"I felt at ease when he had the ball. Even when the crowd was booing him or people in his face, he was always very calm and collected," Robertson said of Sharif. "And we prepped him for those situations, not just for that game but throughout the whole season. He needed to be himself and be the leader he was showing to be.
"That’s just the kid he is. He rises on the big stage when it’s time to."
The Seahorses relied on saying "unbothered" as a season-long motto — they weren't worried about the pressure. Another word sums up their epilogue.
"Greatness, really. Looking back on this team and thinking about all the memories and all the bonds I’ve created with my teammates … greatness," Sharif said. "It was a great year — I’m happy."
Contact Alex Abrami at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.
2025: Abdi Sharif, Burlington
2024: Drew Bessette, Rice
2023:Sawyer Ramey, Fair Haven
2022: Jonah Cattaneo, Montpelier
2021: Michel Ndayishimiye, Rice
2020: Michel Ndayishimiye, Rice
2019: Alex Carlisle, St. Johnsbury
2018: Noah Tyson, Rutland
2017: Calvin Carter, Enosburg
2016: Ben Shungu, Rice
2015: Ben Shungu, Rice
2014: Pavin Parrish, Rochester
2013: Matt St. Amour, Missisquoi
2012: Matt St. Amour, Missisquoi
2011: Ben Ferris, Essex
2010: Joe O'Shea, Burlington
2009: Clancy Rugg, Burlington
2008: Joe O'Shea, Burlington
2007: Tyrone Conley, Burlington
2006: Matt Glass, Mount Mansfield
2005: Matt Glass, Mount Mansfield
2004: Chad Powlovich, Mount Mansfield
2003: Kyle Cieplicki, Rice
2002: B.J. Robertson, Burlington
2001: Tim Shedd, Hazen
2000: Taylor Coppenrath, St. Johnsbury
1999: Matt Sheftic, Essex
1998: Cam Robinson, Essex
1997: Tony Orciari, St. Johnsbury
1996: Tony Orciari, St. Johnsbury
1995: Josh Allbee, Bellows Falls
1994: Marc Ferlo, Colchester
1993: Jamie Kingsbury, Oxbow
1992: Brent Kendall, Milton
1991: Bernie Cieplicki, Rice
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont Free Press Mr. Basketball: Burlington senior Abdi Sharif
Continue reading...
The loss to South Burlington, though, magnified Burlington's suddenly troubling issues, particularly on defense. And senior Abdi Sharif took it upon himself to speak up in the locker room after the defeat.
"We weren’t playing like ourselves and we all knew that," Sharif said. "I had to tell the guys, 'It wasn't the end of the world, we just have to come back and play harder and it wasn't our style of play.'"
Sharif's emerging voice on a young, but talented squad was the turning point for the Seahorses, snapping everything into place for a championship run.
"He came to me and said, 'I gotta figure out how to be a better leader,'" Burlington coach B.J. Robertson said. "That made me realize that he’s locked in, he’s on board and more open to making the adjustment of becoming a leader."
After helping Rice to the 2023 Division I championship over the Seahorses with a game-high total, Sharif transferred to his hometown school and guided Burlington (22-1) to its first crown since 2016, scoring the most points in a final in three decades with a coolly delivered 29-point, 10-rebound, 32-minute performance at soldout Patrick Gym.
And today, Sharif earns one more title: The Burlington Free Press' Mr. Basketball, an honor given annually since 1991 to the state's top boys basketball player.
"He was the best player on the best team," South Burlington coach Sol Bayer-Pacht said. "When the game was on the line, he wanted the ball and he made the tough shots. His leadership on the court was really on display in the final."
The 6-foot-4 Sharif, who averaged 20.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game, is the first BHS player since Joe O'Shea in 2010 to be named Mr. Basketball. Sharif was also the player-of-the-year recipient from the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association.
"He sacrificed his own personal goals to be honest. He could’ve been averaging 25, 30 points (per game) if he wanted to on probably any other team or if we just allowed him to," said Robertson, a BHS alum who was BFP's 2002 Mr. Basketball. "But we knew the bigger goal was to win a championship. And for him personally to develop as a leader, I think he did that great this year."
Sharif opted to return to BHS for his senior year "to graduate with my friends and play with my friends." The adjustment was "smooth and fine," but Sharif, already with a title on his resume, felt compelled by his BHS teammates to bring a championship back to the Queen City.
"At practice with the guys and seeing how hungry they were every day, that motivated me too to get one back for the city," Sharif said. "It was the talk of the town — Burlington hasn’t won in a long time — so getting the job done was great."
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After sweeping the regular-season matchups with Rice, Burlington was the favorite entering the programs' 16th all-time championship matchup on March 7. The heavyweight showdown lived up to the hype, with BHS snagging a 64-60 victory to push the program to a state-leading 22 titles.
One of the game's critical moments came in the closing seconds of the third quarter. With loud boos from the Rice cheering section, Sharif dribbled out the clock before using a crossover to setup a driving layup through contact to break a 38-all tie. BHS led the rest of the way.
"I felt at ease when he had the ball. Even when the crowd was booing him or people in his face, he was always very calm and collected," Robertson said of Sharif. "And we prepped him for those situations, not just for that game but throughout the whole season. He needed to be himself and be the leader he was showing to be.
"That’s just the kid he is. He rises on the big stage when it’s time to."
The Seahorses relied on saying "unbothered" as a season-long motto — they weren't worried about the pressure. Another word sums up their epilogue.
"Greatness, really. Looking back on this team and thinking about all the memories and all the bonds I’ve created with my teammates … greatness," Sharif said. "It was a great year — I’m happy."
Contact Alex Abrami at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.
MR. BASKETBALL WINNERS
2025: Abdi Sharif, Burlington
2024: Drew Bessette, Rice
2023:Sawyer Ramey, Fair Haven
2022: Jonah Cattaneo, Montpelier
2021: Michel Ndayishimiye, Rice
2020: Michel Ndayishimiye, Rice
2019: Alex Carlisle, St. Johnsbury
2018: Noah Tyson, Rutland
2017: Calvin Carter, Enosburg
2016: Ben Shungu, Rice
2015: Ben Shungu, Rice
2014: Pavin Parrish, Rochester
2013: Matt St. Amour, Missisquoi
2012: Matt St. Amour, Missisquoi
2011: Ben Ferris, Essex
2010: Joe O'Shea, Burlington
2009: Clancy Rugg, Burlington
2008: Joe O'Shea, Burlington
2007: Tyrone Conley, Burlington
2006: Matt Glass, Mount Mansfield
2005: Matt Glass, Mount Mansfield
2004: Chad Powlovich, Mount Mansfield
2003: Kyle Cieplicki, Rice
2002: B.J. Robertson, Burlington
2001: Tim Shedd, Hazen
2000: Taylor Coppenrath, St. Johnsbury
1999: Matt Sheftic, Essex
1998: Cam Robinson, Essex
1997: Tony Orciari, St. Johnsbury
1996: Tony Orciari, St. Johnsbury
1995: Josh Allbee, Bellows Falls
1994: Marc Ferlo, Colchester
1993: Jamie Kingsbury, Oxbow
1992: Brent Kendall, Milton
1991: Bernie Cieplicki, Rice
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont Free Press Mr. Basketball: Burlington senior Abdi Sharif
Continue reading...
