Matas Buzelis picks up hardware in junior campaign
WOLFEBORO, N.H. (BVM) – Matas Buzelis entered his junior season looking to carry the momentum he had built up from a different looking summer period. After making the move from his home in Willowbrook, Illinois to Brewster Academy, the 6-foot-8 basketball guard looked to quickly adapt to his new environment.
Buzelis’ breakout in the basketball scene started back at Hinsdale Central, his hometown high school. A solid freshman season would make the Class of 2023 recruit a hot name around the country. With a chance to break things open in his sophomore season, Buzelis would end up encountering more challenges than expected. As the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the Illinois high school season, Buzelis would decide to make the move east.
Joining the Brewster program allowed Buzelis to not only play, but get the chance against some of the top competition in the country. With a couple extra months of lead up with the later move, the now-Bobcats guard would prove to be a massive help in the team’s title hopes. Buzelis helped lead Brewster to a 31-8 record in 2021-22 and the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class AAA Tournament championship this past season. His performance in the title game even led to MVP honors.
“Matas Buzelis has a dynamic skill set, but he also has the size of a power forward,” Paul Biancardi of ESPN Basketball said. “He has range as a shooter, a high basketball IQ and is a quality passer.”
With his versatile set of skills, Buzelis has jumped up the recruiting boards in recent years, averaging 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists this past season. His accomplished junior campaign wouldn’t stop at NEPSAC MVP honors, either. The Illinois native picked up the Gatorade New Hampshire Boys Basketball Player of the Year award in his opening season on the prep court, recognizing both his work on and off the court.
For the star guard, growing his already vast game has come naturally. Buzelis’ dad, Aidas, is a former member of the Lithuanian National Team and has helped his son develop the things that make him so special. With his parents moving to the Chicagoland area over 20 years ago, he continues to have a strong connection to his family’s roots, volunteering as an ambassador for the Rimas Kaukenas Charitable Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides charitable assistance to Lithuanian children with cancer.
A special practice for the Class of 2023 🤝 pic.twitter.com/EaWuYiHYPb
— USABJNT (@usabjnt) April 3, 2022
Picking up the recent hardware adds to Matas’ growing resume. The No. 10 player in the Class of 2023 has had a busy recruiting cycle with offers from the likes of Kentucky, Duke and Florida State. His busy basketball schedule watched Matas team up with some of the top recruits from his class, when he recently participated in a Team USA minicamp during the NCAA Final Four.
With a standout campaign in his opening prep year, the highly skilled guard will look to use the next year to build on his first Brewster season. With offseason basketball activities in the near future, Matas will be top of mind for many recruiters around the country.
