Mid-Season Thoughts

D1 Boys – There is no question Central is #1 and Trinity is #2. They are not linked as 1 and 1A anymore. One thing does stick out in my mind. Central doesn’t play BG in the regular season. There’s a very good chance they’ll be matched up in the semis or finals. I think the BG people like this factor and don’t forget who knocked out Central last year. Of course, all this is dependent on a FULL BG roster. What can Trinity do to beat Central in the playoffs? Well, they could start with having the Martin Brothers transfer to Trinity by March 1st.

D2 Boys – I think this is the most exciting division come playoff time. I think there are 10 to 11 teams that have a chance to reach the Final Four in Durham and 6 to 7 teams that could win the Ship. Pembroke showed a MAJOR chink in their armor in their loss to Portsmouth: Depth and scoring by guards not named Welch. This cloud will hang over the Spartans during their playoff run. It would be nice to see the Bell Brothers let loose on the UNH floor in the semis. It would be great to see another Portsmouth – Pembroke game at UNH.

D1 Girls – It’s a 3 horse race with Bedford, Pinkerton and Londonderry the stallions. It’s not even close once you get to the 4th to 6th place teams in this division. Yes, a 4th to 6th place team could catch lightning in a bottle in a quarterfinal round upset over Pinkerton or Londonderry, especially if Aliza Simpson isn’t 100%, but I don’t think you’ll see a 4th to 6th place team hoisting the plaque at SNHU. It will be 80% chance of Bedford winning the Ship with Pinkerton and Londonderry each having a 10% chance.


D1 Boys All State – Mid Season:

1st Team:
Brett Hanson
Jon Martin
Eric Gendron
Yordy Tavarez
Carmen G.

2nd Team:
Trevon Maughn
Luke Rosinski (Sadly, he might not be there in the final AS teams due to sickness)
Kyle Gavin
Jordan Lates
Drew Coveney

Honorable Mention: Sam Knollmeyer, Ryan Brown, Kabongo, Joe Martin and Darian Berry.


Player of the Year: 3 candidates who are heads and heels above the rest AT THIS POINT: Brett Hanson, Eric Gendron and Jon Martin.

Coach of the Year: Nate Stanton of Londonderry with a distant second going to Nate Mazerolle.



5 Best games I’ve seen so far this 2013/2014 Season:

BG 69 Bedford 66 in OT: In the days of yore when Bedford was the BEST 2 loss team in the state.

Memorial 83 Bedford 77 in OT: In the days of yore when Bedford was the BEST 7 loss team in the state.

Central 62 Merrimack 59: Very intense game featuring 2 POY candidates, 2 intense coaches and a basketball Haley’s Comet moment of a FT shooter receiving a technical between his 1st and 2nd free throw.

Portsmouth 53 Pembroke 49: The Spartan streak ends with a firm Clipper commitment to making somebody else besides Welch beat you.

Central 66 Trinity 55 in the semis of the QCIBT: The Martin Bros were just getting started. This game was played at a very high level for about 30 minutes until Central pulled away at the end. It would be the last time these 2 teams would be known as 1 and 1A. Now, they are firmly 1 and 2.


- I just feel really bad about Luke Rosinski and Aliza Simpson. You want teams to have their best chance during any given season. I know injuries andsickness are part of any season, but it doesn’t take away the disappointment when it happens and when a basketball fan like me receives the news.

- 3 teams you don’t want to get as a Dog in the playoffs in D1 Boys: Bedford – They could lose their Prelim or they could win 2 to 3 games in a row in the playoffs. Exeter – They have the exact description I just gave to Bedford. Memorial – The 30 points they hung on Trinity in the first quarter of their game last Friday should serve as a warning to any team they meet in the playoffs. They could continue that type of shooting for maybe a game or 2 in the playoffs, but not for 3 or 4, because of their non-committal on the defensive end.

- Timberlane boys have a big one at Concord on Feb. 17th. If they don’t get a W that night then it all comes down to a long bus ride to Keene on Feb. 21st, which is the Owls’ last game of the season. Sadly, the NH Sports Page crew has confirmed they won’t be covering this game. I would’ve loved to make the trek to Keene and sit with Bosco to possibly witness NH high school basketball history, but my Fox 40 takes me elsewhere. Now, it’s up to Jeremy to really fill up his gas tank and venture out to Keene to report possible history.

- I know Justin wrote about the darn scheduling conflicts on Saturday March 15th with regards to all the Ships being played and the difficulty of hard hoop fans to catch them all…….. On that note I’m sad about the fact on Wed. March 12th I’ll be forced to make a decision between attending the D2 boys’ Final Four at UNH or the D1 Girls’ Final Four at SNHU. This is just basketball watching injustice.

- Gee, I saw on the video highlights of the Pinky at Londonderry boy’s game Pete and the GREAT Jon Kesty each received a Londonderry basketball tee shirt. I just checked my closet and confirmed I don’t have one yet. Let me see…… I spent countless hours a couple of years ago telling anyone who would listen how the Lancers were the best 1 win team mid-way through the season. I’ve supported the Lancers through thick and mostly thin over the last couple of years. I have been on white horses in the Londonderry town common bandstand area while eating Mack’s apples and drinking Mack’s apple cider………..


...................AND I HAVE NO LONDONDERRY BASKETBALL TEE SHIRT         


    (Don't tell anybody, but there's a good possibility the Forum's #1 Lancer fan might be in the Lancer house this Friday for Exeter: Lobster Rolls vs Hot Dogs & Chowder vs Chips)    

Tuesday and Friday wrote:

- Gee, I saw on the video highlights of the Pinky at Londonderry boy’s game Pete and the GREAT Jon Kesty each received a Londonderry basketball tee shirt. I just checked my closet and confirmed I don’t have one yet. Let me see…… I spent countless hours a couple of years ago telling anyone who would listen how the Lancers were the best 1 win team mid-way through the season. I’ve supported the Lancers through thick and mostly thin over the last couple of years. I have been on white horses in the Londonderry town common bandstand area while eating Mack’s apples and drinking Mack’s apple cider………..


...................AND I HAVE NO LONDONDERRY BASKETBALL TEE SHIRT         


    (Don't tell anybody, but there's a good possibility the Forum's #1 Lancer fan might be in the Lancer house this Friday for Exeter: Lobster Rolls vs Hot Dogs & Chowder vs Chips)    

Multiple points to make here:
1. It was the Great and Lovely Jen Chick not Jon Kesty handling the video duties in Londonderry
2. Londonderry's appreciation of the T&F family support dates back much further than the "Best 1 Win Article" as evidenced by the fact that the soldier at the top of the statue in the Town Common is indeed great-great-great grandpappy T&F
http://visitlondonderry.com/learn/history/town-common/
3.Sunnycrest farms apple cider is much better than Mack's
4. When did the Lancer concession stand start serving chowder? Sure thats not the leftover hot dog water?
5. Londonderry vs. Exeter is actually Thursday night not Friday as listed on NHIAA site.
6. T&F tshirt available for $8

Thanks for the update Edge on the Exeter @ Lond boys' game being Thursday instead of Friday. Official start time ??

If you hadn't informed me I might've shown up at the beautiful Lancer Gym only to be locked out on Friday. I would've been fighting Londonderry seagulls for hot dog scraps at the entrance while looking at the nicely folded Londonderry basketball tee shirts sitting on the table as you enter the gym.  

"6. T&F tshirt available for $8"

Are they 50/50 or 100% ??

Interesting FNL Top 10 Poll as listed on the NH Notebook:

ESPN NH's FNL Winter Poll - 2/4/14

The statewide top 10 boys basketball teams in the NHIAA, as voted on by the members of ESPN New Hampshire's Friday Night Lights Winter program. Note: voting was done prior to Tuesday night's games...

1. Central (unanimous) 11-0 (last week: 1)
2. Trinity 9-1 (last week: 2)
3. Merrimack 8-1 (last week: 4)
4. BG 10-1 (last week: 5)
5. Pembroke 9-1 (DII) (last week: 3)
6. Portsmouth (DII) 8-2 (last week: 10)
7. Londonderry 8-2 (last week: 7)
8. South 5-3 (last week: 6)
9. Winnacunnet 6-3 (last week: --)
10. Pelham (DII) 9-2 (last week:--)

I have to give a shout out to D3 boy's also. I had a chance to see Winnisquam's sophomore point guard Christian Serrano. He is on Dave Haley's mid-season D3 All State team. Serrano is legit. He has a great handle, speed and quickness. He has a high basketball IQ. He's one of the best players I've seen this year with regards to dribble penetrating and dishing to mates for inside and outside finishes. Serrano is the 9th leading scorer in D3. I wouldn't be surprised if he's in the Top 3 in assists, if not the leader in this category.

He would be very welcome on any D1 or D2 basketball roster in the state. Trust me.


http://www.concordmonitor.com/community/town-by-town/deerfield/10510264-95/high-schools-winnisquam-boys-basketball-continues-playoff-push-with-win-over-belmont

Interesting to see BG at #4.  Yes they have 10 wins, but the schedule has been pretty kind through 11 games.  Next three will be telling - Trinity, Merrimack and South.  Not so much the W/L but how they compete in those games even if they don't win.  

At this point I would put Merrimack ahead of Trinity based on their performance against a certain common opponent and the fact Merri had to finish that one out without Gendron on the floor. I believe Trinity is getting the current edge as defending champs, but Merrimack's performance against Central, on Central's home floor, where they could have very easily packed it in when the going got rough and Gendron fouled out, was very telling.

Another observation - is it just me or is the talent level in D1 way down this year?  No slight intended to any of the teams or players, but I really can't recall another season in the past 10 years or so where I've seen as many teams really struggle with overall skill and athleticism past the top 1 or 2 players.  I really think it's a 3 horse race at this point - Central,Trinity and Merrimack - their rosters just go much,much deeper in terms of overall skill, athleticism and physicality than any other team I've seen.

Well, I guess the #2 and #3 seeds will clear up a bit on Love Night when Merrimack visits Trinity. I only give the nod to Trinity because the game is at the McHugh Gym. You'd be hard pressed to remember back to when Trinity lost 2 games on their home floor in the same season.

I totally agree with you Hoopfan4 on talent level being down this year. Most teams only have a solid #1 or #2 scoring option. Not too many teams have a consistent 3rd scoring option. This is what makes Central so good. They have 3: Hanson and the 2 Martin brothers. What team can match up with them to contain all 3 in a game. At this point it's Zero teams. I still believe Central will be even more dangerous once they get to the Lundholm Gym. They are so unselfish and have such great court vision that when they keep on moving on offense then good things happen. Not only is offensive talent down in D1, but defending talent is also, with lack of defensive athleticism and proper incidental contact defensiveness.......... Ergo why Central is tough to defend this 13/14 Season.

T&F will be glad to learn that the NHSportspage.com video camera will in fact be in Keene on Friday Feb 21st IF the Timberlane losing streak is still alive and kicking.

Pete, that is breaking news. Kudos to NHSportspage for making the commitment to this historic game, if it comes to fruition.

I hope Bosco is prominently featured as a dedicated fan because he has been in the basketball salt mines for the last 4 years supporting his beloved Owls. There's something to be said for his un-wavering dedication to the Timberlane boy's basketball program.


Timberlane at Keene on Friday Feb. 21st: Potential Game of the Season !!


I already have the speech for the Owls before they hit the Blackbird Court:



"Most important, don't get caught up thinking about winning or loosing this game. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners!"

Oh my.

...T&F channeling his inner coach Norman Dale...

Hoopfan4, If I'm ever refereeing a close game where there's 4 players on the court and I go up to the coach and say:

"You need one more, coach."


And the coach replies:


"My team's on the floor!"


I will kneel down and kiss that part of the coaches box. I will ask the AD of the school if I can have that part of the court removed where the coach stood and said the sacred words and I will hang the hallowed piece of wood on my office wall.

Timberlane vs Keene could be the game of the year, The tricky part about this game is u have timberlane whoose lost by about 20 every game then with keene u have a team that has lost by 50 multiple times but then they take salem and alvirne deep into the 4th tied up then lose. One big factor about this game that people might not realize is that keenes guard might be back from injury around this time, if hes back I take keene , but if hes not its gonna be a very interesting game!

One of the best sports movies ever made, T&F - especially if you're a basketall junkie! Great story and so many great lines...the scene / line you referenced is one of my all time favorites!