VARSITY INSIDER

'She can do it all': CVU star is the Free Press' Miss Basketball for the 2023-24 season

Burlington Free Press

Elise Berger's impact for the Champlain Valley Union High School girls basketball team went beyond scoring.

The 5-foot-11 senior guard ran the point, played smothering defense, battled for rebounds with her length and size and became a stoic leader for the Redhawks, who marched to the second of back-to-back Division I state crowns this winter.

"She can do it all, really, and she was super-valuable. She stepped up night after night," St. Johnsbury coach Jade Huntington said. "When CVU needed a play, they would go through her."

Berger, also a baseball star, averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.2 steals per game for 22-1 CVU. Berger also produced a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio and shot 42% from the field while earning a per-game plus-minus rating of 18. Her all-around play, leadership and how she controlled games warrants this year's Free Press' Miss Basketball award, which has been given out annually to the state's top player since 1991.

"The title of Miss Basketball is not highest scorer. Not everybody understands that or sees that," Huntington said. "CVU was a very different ballclub when she wasn't on the floor."

More:CVU girls basketball rallies for back-to-back D-I crowns, record-setting 10th title

CVU's Grace Thompson (21) and Elise Berger (11) celebrate after the Redhawks 38-33 win over St. Johnsbury the 2024 D1 State Championship game at UVM's Patrick Gym.

In a phone interview Monday morning, Berger spoke to a Burlington Free Press reporter, about her season, her time as a Redhawk, and what's next following graduation this spring.

Editor's note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

More:'It looked effortless for him': Meet the Free Press' Mr. Hockey for the 2023-24 season

More:This record-setter is the Free Press' Miss Hockey for the 2023-24 season

Burlington Free Press: From your perspective, what defines the CVU girls basketball program?

Elise Berger: I think family and commitment really define the CVU basketball program. Part of our success, you have every single girl on that roster who all really tight-knit with each other and get along, but also really driven. That really shows with the on-court play. Communication is a big part for why we succeed.

Free Press: How did influence games without necessarily scoring?

Berger: Passing has been a big part of my game. I’ve never been a big leading scorer, but I help set up my teammates to get good looks and I think that’s an important part of the game as well. I think later in the season my defense got better. Rebounding as well, I’m a bigger guard and I’m able take advantage of that fact, especially down low.

Free Press: That inbounds pass to seal the title: Were you nervous at all?

Berger: No, I wasn’t really. (Samara Ashooh) and I have played together since second grade, we knew where each other were going and that’s a pass we’ve practiced and made multiple times. Everyone had confidence in me making that pass and we all had confidence in (Ashooh) making that shot. So, no, I wasn’t nervous, but it was really exciting to see it all play out the way we wanted it to.

Free Press: Which title was more satisfying: 2023 or 2024?

Berger: They are both satisfying for different reasons, but I would have to say this year was more satisfying. There are a lot of expectations, trying to go back-to-back, it’s obviously a hard thing to do. With those high expectations, it was really cool to see the whole team come together and work for it and show up. Also, with the game this year, we were behind at the start, behind at halftime and it was good to see the team work together and make that comeback. That made it more satisfying this year.

Free Press: How do you handle those big expectations every year at CVU?

Berger: CVU as a program and historically has been a big powerhouse. So that expectation has always been, ‘We are going to win a state championship this year.’ That really sets the standard for us on the team and how this is what we are working toward and expected to be putting all the work in. It can be interesting to see how people respond to that. The teams I’ve been on who’ve been successful at CVU don’t duck away from that pressure, they really excel and work hard despite having those expectations.

More:30 players named to the 33rd Annual Free Press All-State Boys Hockey Team

Free Press: How did you guys respond to that midseason loss to St. Johnsbury?

Berger: It was a good wake-up call for us. You can’t just show up in the gym and expect to win every single day. I think it was a little reminder for everyone that we still need to work hard every single day and I think we saw that, we didn’t want that feeling again this year. There was definitely a little bit of a step up in our expectations with each other. We really held each other accountable following that loss.

CVU's Elise Berger cuts down the net after the Redhawks 38-33 win over St. Johnsbury the 2024 D1 State Championship game at UVM's Patrick Gym.

Free Press: What was your favorite memory of your career?

Berger: This winter we did a team trip to New York the week after Christmas. That would be my favorite memory just because we both succeeded basketball-wise, not expecting to win, and pushing what we thought was possible for ourselves on the basketball side. But it was also really fun to hang out and be with each other for a few days, which isn’t always something we get to do with a high school team.

More:30 players named to the 23rd Annual Free Press All-State Girls Hockey Team

Free Press: With Ute Otley leaving for Norwich, how would you describe her legacy at CVU?

Berger: She’s leaving a pretty big legacy at CVU. You’ll still continue to see that same spirit in the program that she created. I think the expectations and the standards are still going to be pretty high. The team morale, how we all work together and our team goals will still be very present in the CVU basketball program.

More:Longtime CVU girls basketball coach Ute Otley accepts job at Norwich

Free Press: Do you consider yourself a role model for young girls to pursue their dreams?

(Editor's note: Berger has suited up for Team USA and will play college baseball next year at Bard College. This summer, Berger and U.S. women's national team will chase a medal at the World Cup.)

Berger: I hope I’m a role model for young girls. I hope I’m able to show them that, whatever you want to do, if you put the work in and do what you love, you should be able to go out and do it. That’s the message young girls in this area can definitely see from me.

Bard has been an amazing program and have been super-supportive of me the entire way. I’m excited to meet more of them.

More:Shelburne's Berger leads Team USA at World Cup qualifying tournament

Become a member of the Vermont Varsity Insider Facebook group at https://bit.ly/2MGSfvX.

Contact Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5