feb 12th games,another fantastic night coming up

Wow, some great games coming friday.Trinity 8-3 at BG 9-2, Pinkerton 8-3 at Dover 8-3, Winny 10-1 at Central 5-6, Memorial 7-4 at North 6-5, Salem 6-5 at West 7-4, even Merrimack 10-1 hosting South 2-9 could be interesting.Here are my PICKS {for what it's worth I had the colts and the over, so what do I know}.BG wins at home with their starting lineup back{Lavish and Green} , Dover's guards light up the Astros, Winny survives Central {barely}, North beat Memorial {north is a different team at home}, and Merrimack beats South.The Merrimack game could be different if Haskell plays.The kid is a good defender.I know Exeter has only 3 wins,but they have lost to Merrimack,BG,and Winny by a total of 6 points. They will make the playoffs as a 14,15, or 16th seed and be the team nobody wants to play in the 1st round.Another team noone wants in the playoffs is South,{although looking at their schedule, they might have a tough time making it }They have a freshman who is silky smooth,and Nelson keeps getting better by the day.This years playoffs are going to be so much fun because anything could happen and it would not surprise me. After rereading this I forgot Salem{speaking of the hottest team in class l} dusts West.

My bad, West is 8-3,but I still think Salem knocks them off.

Big Guy - with you presumably losing money on the Super Bowl I see not much has changed over the years. I remember funding a lot of meals in the Hill Top cafeteria with money I won from you on college football and basketball games. Nice to see some things stay the same.

I think West is 8-4 according to the UL.

Also, I see West won at the buzzer last night against Goffstown and
Valentin name was not in the box scores. Does anyone have the scoop
as to why?

There's a plethora of reasons as to why Valentin wasn't in last night's box score for West. According to NHIAA if you add the 42 - 41 victory over G-Town then West is 8 - 3.

Does that mean he is out for the season or was it just that game?

I am curious as well why Valentin was not in the lineup? Also, Class L wide open I am counting (BG, Merrimack, Trinity, Dover, Salem, Pinkerton, Winnie) all capable of winning four in a row once playoffs come. At this point the next level down Memorial, West, North, Alvirne, Central capable of beating anyone of the top seven but would have difficult time winning the 4 in a row needed.

Three weeks ago would ANYONE have thought Salem would have been in that top tier list you just gave us NHsportsfan? Love it...great season so far. Sorry I have no info on Valentin. Maybe it's one of those things that's better left unsaid?

I hope everything works out for the player. Obviously he is a very talented and very intense player. Lots of intense players out there I think you just have to know where to draw the line. Easier said than done.

I agree (BG,MERRIMACK,TRINITY,DOVER,SALEM,PINKERTON,AND WINNIE) seem to have the edge. But as we all know Alvirne and Memorial can knock off any of those teams on any given night. I know Central played hard against Memorial last night, but I am not sure how far they can go without a true point. Lacount did well last night, but, he is more effective on the wing. As for West, we will see if Valentin is in the box scores on their next game. If he for some reason is not playing for a period of time than I think they also will struggle.

South at Merry: You have to think this is a "trap" game for Merry. They have a big one with Trinity next Tuesday and if they have complacency tonight and South plays with a lot of pride then we could have a surprise.

Memorial at North: I just figured out that just about every game Memorial has played in the last month is a pick em game. This means Memorial has just enough to get their share of victories at 7-4. Very good matchup in the backcourt with Williams and Gauthier going against couture and Zenni. The margin of victory for either team should be very slim.

Pinkerton at Dover: Both teams are in a 4 way tie for 4th in the standings. That is where any similarity ends as Pinky pounds down low while Dover lives from the arc. The contrasting styles makes for an interesting matchup.

Winny at Central: So, you're the Little Green. Your last 2 losses have been by 1 to Pinky and an emotional double OT loss to a city rival. Next up is a well coached team that methodically runs you down on defense with multiple sets and patience. No rest for the weary and no feeling sorry for yourselves as Central has to strap on the sneakers and get ready for another battle at 7 tonight. If Central can tread water in the 1st half then it will be a game in the 2nd half. If Central's emotion from the previous 2 losses takes a toll and Winny takes advantage and picks, screens, rolls, backdoors and finishes then it will be a long night for Central.

Salem at West: You have to think West will play better at home against Salem. They seem to be more comfortable at home than they are on bus ride games. I don't like to say this, but it seems that one member of West is a volcano ready to erupt emotionally. In the Pinky, Winny and G-Town games there have been unsportsman incidents. Now, all 3 of these games have been on the road. LaRosa scored 40 points on Tuesday. This West player will take the personal challenge of stopping him tonight. What if things don't go his way with LaRosa, ref's calls or the scoreboard? I'm hoping it won't happen, but the potential for another ugly incident involving said West player exists tonight.

Trinity at BG: I keep going back to the Fall League when Trinity played BG in the playoffs and the Pioneers pasted the Cardinals. Now, Fall League is Fall League, but I think the memory of that game is fully lodged in the minds of the BG players who were there that day. Also, last season Trinity destroyed BG in Manchester in their regular season game - it wasn't a game from the get go. If I'm BG and with Green being a factor tonight I have to say enough is enough and it's time for a statement game.

What time should I get to BG tonight? 4? anybody grilling up any sausages before hand?

If you get there by 6 tonight you should be all set.There should be a good crowd,but lots of other good games tonight.

My plan is to be there by 5:30 to be safe. I know nothing about sausages but I know if you were slumming in Milford we could get you a cheeseburger or a hotdog.

Slums in Milford? I thought it was an upper crust town with upper crust knowledgeable basketball fans?

Well had you gone to the Hollis Brookline games over the past few seasons the fans in Hollis chant Milford's Trailers.. Our Trailer parks at both end of town.. Maybe not Gary Indiana Sum but compared to the large houses on the Massabesic yeah we are slummy lol

Jeremy - I know Green played in the Fall League loss to Trinity. My point was with him being healthier and the fact BG has been pasted the last 2 times they've played Trinity, then tonight is a night where they have that in their mind and would want to enforce their Cardinal will on the Pioneers.

I will be shocked if BG does not win tonight. If they don't that really makes things interesting. Trinity will have to really take the air out of the ball if they want to have a chance.

As far as the fall league goes I don't feel it is a true indication of teams play in the season. Most teams missing players and not being coached the same way as the regular season. I compare this to all the yahoos out there using preseason football scrimmages to the real season. Saying we beat this team in a scrimmage so we are the best team ever! Apples and Oranges to me.

It is Apples and Oranges for Fall League Nhsportsfan. I was at the regular season game last year at Trinity where BG visited them. After the first 4 minutes it was no game at all. In Fall League the game was very similar. Trinity really took it to BG. For some of the BG players like McClung and St. Lawrence who played in both those games it has to stick in the back of their heads that Trinity beat them by a combined 40 to 50 points those last couple of games. I would think BG would want to exorcise (in a game involving 2 Catholic schools, no less) some of their Pioneer demons. Apples and Oranges yes, but still some left over fruit in the back of the mind of some of the Cardinal players.

Well...Trinity did win tonight 48-45. GREAT game at BG. Trinity did not take the air out of the ball, but instead played really good defense. Make no mistake, this was a defensive game, both teams trading defensive looks from man to different zones to full court. A chess match between two heavyweights. Write up to follow.

Winnie boys beat CHS boys

Winnie girls won at the BUZZER of OVERTIME. (very proud of my girls)

Memorial boys win

West boys dominate

Manchester has a lot to be proud of tonight.

I am surprised Trinity won but not disappointed by it at all. I was not at game but that is a good win for Trinity. I was at Dover vs Pinkerton which Pinkerton won by 2 at the end.

I was surprised at the Pinkerton game.

Having seen both play... I really thought Dover would close that by about 8

I heard Central Girls got screwed. I hear the Wlaker girl hit a shot at the buzzer in regualation that one ref called it a 3 and the other waved it off and called it a 2 which made it go into OT... Has anyone heard anything about that game?

I heard from several people there and didn't hear that......but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

But... I also heard from 2 players and there wasn't any bitterness.... just feeling proud of playing a great game with a phenomenal team.