Pembroke squeaks by Bow

[tarrier]

If I was smart enough, I would just cut and paste my game story for Pembroke's thrilling 46-45 win over Bow tonight right here. But because I'm not that bright I guess you'll have to click on the following link to check it out...

www.fnlnh.com

[EBlessNHSP]

It's ok tarrier...you guys want the clicks...I understand.

[Guest]

John Stark 8 14 21 16- 59

Milford 19 8 19 20- 66

Stark Leading Scorers: Oneil 17, Leblond 16 Score keeper had it covered when i went over to look but it was within that area.

Milford Leading Scorers: O'loughlin 31, Holder 18

Milford looked like they may roll up john stark jumping all over them 16-3 (O'loughlin had 12 of the 16 once again very strong 1st quarter) but Stark narrowed the gap before the end of the quarter with a mini run of 6-0. Once again O'loughlin just came out and they had no answer, Stark tried to apply some pressure started off in a 2-2-1 but it migrated to some 1-1-2-1 (I think) regardless Mitchell broke it easily dribbling right up, a little hesitation and then either blew by stark or passed before the trap got their. Holder had many great looks and this was one of the reasons Milford didn't blow them out, (lack of another scorer) but Holder really struggled the first 3 quarters having about 4-6 pts missing lay-ups and short jumpers. For stark I think Leblond had all points in the first quarter and it wasn't looking good for stark he was having to force shots because milfords defense was just to overwhelming for them.

The 2nd quarter was a lot like Milford's second half vs MV, O'loughlin had a hot hand but he didn't get the ball. I don't recall him getting up any shots that quarter and he was scoreless. Holders struggles continued. Mitchell didn't have a scoring night but he did play well for the most part setting up teammates and as I said before breaking the Stark press. Oneil picked it up this quarter and Leblond kept it going they really narrowed the gap and really got their fans going even more. (Stark traveled well, made it a great environment) Luckily Milford used as it slowed up a small run Stark had going and Milford kept a narrow lead going into half.

Stark played great this quarter (3rd) offensively defensively both teams lacked. Oneil played great this quarter driving to the middle and once he got to the free throw line he would use a spin move which kyle had no answer for. Leblond for what I can remember was quiet this quarter may have a hit a 3 or FT's but nothing much. O'loughlin picked it up this quarter and the rest of Milford starting getting some buckets. Stark made a run in this quarter and if it wasn't for a Cyr Timeout, (I don't think coach was planning on calling one, atleast at the moment) Stark may have taken the lead but it was a tie game and Milford regained the lead.

4th Quarter Mike O and Holder just took over. They both got to the basket at will, and they weren't going allow Milford to lose this game. Despite Oneil and Leblond giving all they could, they weren't enough, but they gave Milford a great game when they could have rolled over being down 16-3. It should be a great game at UNH, Portsmouth vs. Milford on a neutral court can't wait.

[chicagokid43]

Here is what I saw last night. Last year Matt Alosa came up with a game plan to try to force Mitchell to give the ball up on the initial trap and make someone else make a play off the dribble. Stark seemed to study that and try to pull the same thing this year. It still seems to throw Milford off a little but now with Holder and O'Loughlin both able to make plays off the dribble and make the extra pass it isn't as effective. Holder and O'Loughlin took turns either making plays for themselves or creating opportunities for Kyle Nelson. I believe we will see some thing similar to that with Portsmouth although he will most likely do that at the half court line to make sure they get back and protect the hoop.
Some think Milford will have an advantage playing at UNH on the bigger floor which makes trapping harder but who knows once you get there. Portsmouth will have many looks and recognizing them and knowing how to attack it will be instrumental in the game. I think it is neat that the top 4 teams all advanced and that there are two great games on tap for Tuesday. Should be a great night of basketball.

[boxout]

This game was a very good game. Milford has a very bad habit of forcing shots. I saw at least two players launch 3-pointers with a minute or so left and up by 10. I also saw Milford's point guard force passes during this time span as well. Milford still lacks anything that resembles an inside game. Milford's bigs don't always show up. When Milford's bigs do have big games it is because Milford's point guard is setting them up with layups. A credit to the point guard. Most centers on good teams outplay Milford's bigs. The other problem I have with Milford is this fascination with dunking. I have seen several players on this team miss numerous dunks all season long. This bad habit may bite them up at UNH. I know that a dunk can be a very uplifting emotional swing, but missing a dunk does the exact same thing for the opponent. I am lucky I am not coaching this team because there would be a no dunking policy, so I would lose the kids. Rebounding is also a problem, but I think this is the new generation of ballplayers, they don't boxout, they try to leap the highest.
I give Milford's coach a lot of credit for what he has done with this team. 19-1 with players who clearly at times ignore him. I know this coach isn't telling his kids to launch threes when they are up 10 with a minute left. This almost allowed John Stark to steal the game, or least they were able to hang around a lot longer. I also hope that the kids on Milford take this off season to shoot 300 free throws a day. Other than the point guard this team struggles badly at the line. This coach is one of the best in the state, take a look at WLC now, they are perennial playoff teams, and they were when he was there. 12 wins plus a season was a given.
Not having a solid inside presence is what keeps these teams around against Milford. If Milford is not hitting their threes, then the offensive rebounding is almost non-existent. I kind of take rebounding stats as a whole with a grain of salt, anyone can get a rebound off of missed free throws. What has happened with these young players and free throws, this is how they pad their scoring stats.
As far as the floor goes, it is fine. No one is traveling because of a "wet floor" they are traveling because they are not planting their feet and are moving before they take a dribble. Every travel I saw that night was the right call by the official.
With all that said I like this team a lot and do hope they win it all, but they need to cut down on silly turnovers and forcing the ball. My biggest worry is that some coach is going to force Milford into a very slowed down game, like a 40-35 score and this will frustrate this team. I also noticed a lot of players were standing around on offense waiting to get the ball to launch a three. The point guards were dribbling and no one was moving, not sure if Milford was tired or just wanted to launch bombs all night.

[chicagokid43]

How about I make you a video of all the sliding that happens on this floor. I would be glad to do it. The floor in Milford is absolutely awful. The surface levels the playing field at for many teams. Stark complained about it after the game in a conversation with myself when I walked over to tell them nice game. It is bad and when a player slips and gets really hurt I will be the first to tell them to call a lawyer. I know that sounds horrible but in these times where these kids put in hours and hours of practice in hopes that basketball will assist them in a college opportunity they deserve a safe and stable playing surface. There are spots on this floor that have metal rivots that are exposed also. It is not good and hopefully Milford will get something done before this team takes the floor next year. The gym was full on most nights, concessions were solid as well. Money has to be available to have a person that can make that a decent surface.

As for the shot selection you are correct. Milford is not disciplined and needs to get better at shot selection. I think the biggest issue is you have so many guys that do not want to win by 2 they want to blow you out and that hurts them in close games. Sometimes winning is enough and they need to get better at that. I do think that rebounding is an issue and I personally wish the coach would try and play Desmarais and Nelson more together. This would give them more rebounding as well as allow them to outlet and run more. As it stands right now Mike O'Loughlin has to rebound to much and would prefer to see him in the open floor more often.

As for outlawing the dunk? Are you serious? While I agree that the dunk is an over rated stat sometimes I do know it can be a spark to a run. Keep in mind these players are looking to play at the next level and showing your athleticism and the ability to play above the rim is part of that as well. Now when they are in a close game in the playoffs I hope they make sure of every layup, and not worry about the dunk. But to tell the players not to dunk is a little silly in my eyes.

As for Milford's lack of an inside game? What team in NH really has a inside game? You can count them on one hand. In fact there arent many teams at any level that have back to the basket post players. It is not the same game as it was 10 years ago. 6'10 guys now are face up players that spend little time on the blocks. Milford does need to rebound better and they need better shot selection and hopefully the group of juniors can and two seniors can figure that out soon.

[EBlessNHSP]

Good post Boxout and good info and response ChiKid. This is the kind of conversations that make this forum interesting.

The floor IMO is what it is...both teams had to deal with it. Safety issue, yes...up to the school board and the budget committee to take care of that one.

I dunno about Dunking, I think its exciting and part of the game. But if a player missed a dunk...and he could have converted a layup, then he's getting pulled if I'm the coach. I think it depends how easily the kid can dunk. I know Holder and O'Laughlin can dunk, but sometimes it seems like they are just barely getting it over the rim. In a tight game just get the 2.

I think Milford can win without a inside game. I saw Portsmouth/Bedford the other night and the Clippers have no inside game, but they do a ton of other things to make themselves successful. Bedford on the other hand has 2 very good post players, but still lost. There's a couple teams like Pinkerton and BG to some extent that have strong inside games, but for the most part most teams don't. Winny and Dover aren't pounding it in on you night in and night out.

That said, if a team like Milford did have huge inside presence they would just be that much more dominant.

[chicagokid43]

Last season I coached the boys in a tourney in the offseason and Mike O who at that time was just beginning his dunking exploits missed a dunk and I did as you said Assistant I pulled him. I told him at the time it was if I remember right about a 7 or 8 point game for us and the layup was needed and the dunk was a bonus. I only sat him a possession or two and told him you have to make sure of it if the game is still in question. If it is the end of the game and your up big, make a highlight. If you are in a close game make the layup.
This is nothing more than experience and maturity. Both items Milford is still gaining both of those qualities which makes what they have done this year even more impressive.
Portsmouth is a very game team and Milford will have to play well to beat them. Should be a blast and to watch both games on Tuesday.

[boxout]

You really don't need to make me a video, because I could make you one where the player clearly has "happy feet". I guess the condensation must be from ice rink underneath the floor. LOL I have seen enough of this team and played on that court myself many times and the court is fine. That is a sad excuse. Both teams play on the same surface, so the excuse goes out the window. I don't remember anyone complaining about the surface when Milford scored 91 points. This is just something for someone to blame other than the fact the kids walk.
I really like your idea of the two bigs playing together, however that means someone is sitting. Who sits?
Outlawing dunking is not that silly, seeing they miss more of them then they make. I have seen one player miss 8 or 9 dunks this year. Another has missed at least 5 or 6. I understand that showing athleticism is important, but the coaches at the next level are also not that impressed with missing a dunk either, trust me. It shows selfishness, to keep doing something that you only succeed at about 20% of the time. The dunk isn't even a stat, a layup is worth the same amount as a dunk. As far as the next level goes, slow down on that. I see only one player that could play at the next level and that would be DII. Yes others could play NAIA or DIII but if your playing at those levels you best start worrying about grades and education. There isn't a kid on this team that will play at UNC, BC, or Georgetown.
Just because people aren't posting up doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. The game has not changed that much and as you so eloquently put it, if these bigs want to play at the next level they better learn an inside game.

[chicagokid43]

As for the floor I am not looking for an excuse and I am not saying that the boys, two in particular do not have happy feet and travel from time to time. However there has been complaints all year long about the floor. In fact during the Christmas break the school realized they had an issue and treated the floor,stripping it and trying a new cleaner hoping that it would help. So that tells me that even back then they knew it was an issue. I do think though the faster you try to play the easier it is to slip during the change of direction. The funniest part about you saying it is an excuse is the fact that the Johnstone player from Stark had at least three turnovers where he planted his foot and the floor seemed to not be there. So I guess if I am making an excuse it is for the other team.
As far as playing the two bigs together I think the way to do that is to play Mitchell,Holder and O'Loughlin with Desmarais and Nelson. The argument would be that you then ask a big to guard a quicker player but there are ways to cover that up in my opinion. Desmarais and Nelson are both 6'4 or smaller and neither are going to be asked to post up a whole lot if they do get to the next level. Not the best game plan in my eyes however I do think you could pick high and dive them into the post at times which is a little different. That is one way you could get interior points from the bigs. Maybe that is what you mean and if so sure it could be part of what they do.
I do not remember 8 or 9 missed dunks form either guy. I film every game and I really only remember a few times when the games were close that it could have come back to bite you. So maybe saying if you are up more than 10, dunk it other wise make the layup. That may be something I could understand but then you are in the players head on approach so not sure that is the best way to do it either.

[Guest]

As far as the dunking goes between holder and o'loughlin (since their the only 2 that dunk) they haven't even missed 10 dunks. As far as the traveling goes I've seen the happy feet your talking about yes it does happen and I know who you are talking about. I don't think Chi-kid is so worried about the floor from a traveling stand point its more a safety thing. I used to play at Milford it's one of the worst floors in class I.

[boxout]

Listen guys I am just telling you what I see, it is my opinion. But the fact remains that Milford misses at LEAST one dunk a game, so that equals at least 18 missed dunks this year. You should go back and watch your video if you doubt me. I have also seen players miss more than one dunk in a game.
Also chi-kid I respect that you took that kid out for missing a dunk that you were coaching, but he obviously didn't listen to you because he is still doing it and still missing them. Which goes back to my original post of these kids don't listen to the coach. I actually saw one of the dunkers the other night make the layup which is great, but he was clearly going for the dunk and bobbled the ball on the way up.
As for the floor Chi-kid that floor gets waxed and cleaned every Christmas break and during summer break. I will loosen up a little on you too, this floor is not the greatest but on the flip side I have seen and played on worse. If these kids are playing indoor up at Hampshire Hills, that court is horrendous. The risk of getting hurt can happen on any court, at any time. See NBA players who blow their knees out all the time.
As far as taking video of the game, I respect that you do that, but that doesn't always mean you are focused on the game. You are usually more worried about the camera work than the game. I understand you watch it after and so do I. The games are on TV. Now as far as that goes too, the cameras are just one camera, your angle can be blocked and you are shooting from the farthest part from the court, though you are in the center. I also wonder if you are video taping the game or taping one individual. The only reason why I ask is why would anyone video tape the Monadnock game? You, me, and everyone else knew that those games were going to be blowouts. Obviously you or the coaching staff are not using much tape from those games. What can a player learn from a 91-31 game? That was on that slippery court.

[EBlessNHSP]

I love that the Milford fans are so passionate, and rightly so this year you've got a great team. I think when it comes down to it though there's not to many places to dissect this team. I mean they're obviously the best team in Class I and maybe in the whole State. If I was a bystander reading this thread who knew nothing about NH Basketball, rankings or anything else, I might think we're talking about a 10-10 team here, or maybe even worse!

[chicagokid43]

I filmed every game for our website. Highlights for every game can be found there yes including the Monadnock games. Reason why? I wanted to do something for the recruiting process as well as be able to share the highlights for family members of both my son and the rest of the team. Several of the boys have family in other areas and with the site they are able to see the highlights and follow the team. I have been able to hand coaches that came into our gym the website address and each player has highlight clips on the site as well. So the filming has a couple of uses. Hopefully we can use it for the 20 year reunion also when these boys are old like me.

[Tuesday and Friday]

Here I am getting psyched for the L semis and the top 4 seeds advance to the I semis. It is impressive to look at the I bracket and see 1, 2, 3 and 4 remaining for the seed numbers in the bracket. It is so un-Class I not to see a double digit seed making it's way to the Final Four. Maybe the Heal standings were good all along. After all the complaining, confusion and criticizing (sounds like the 3 Cs of Milford basketball) of the heal standings the top 4 seeds are in the Final Four. I was around when the TV show ER had their final break break up, Alan Alda went his own way from the MASH unit and who it was that shot JR. All of this aforementioned drama pales in comparison to the high voltage drama that will be on display at Lundholm tomorrow evening beteen 6:00 and 9:00 pm. It is 1 and 1A as far as looking forward to the I or L semis. The I semis will be like Broadway mystery play acted out in front of 3000 people. The stage is 84 feet long and 50 feet wide. The props are 2 ten foot baskets with a 30 ounce basketball. There are 10 lead acts with some supporting players. The ending to this mystery? Make a trip, buy a ticket and enjoy the show!!

Oyster River - Pembroke: I saw the 2nd to 4th quarters of the Pembroke - Bow game last Friday. I was impressed by Pembroke's stifling man to man defense and theway they like to push the ball on offense. They are a high energy and fast team which compensates for their lack of overall team height. Pembroke's sense of urgency on the court is something a lot of teams could learn from. Bow did well to stay in the game last Friday. Bow's Erik Michaud had an outstanding shooting evening that was key. In the 4th period I found out Poitras had 3 points. How can this happen? I know Benson was playing typical Benson defense against Poitras, but if you are a highly regarded senior and 6'5, you have to force your will more in a playoff game than that. Will Oyster River's Goodwin and Nadeau impose their will on the offensive end against the Spartans? This is the key to this game. The Bobcat Bigs must play well and score if Oyster River wants to advance to the championship game. Pembroke must use the big Lundholm court to their advantage and out pace OR in transition. I do believe McDonnell will have a good game for OR. How the Bobcat Bigs perform will go a long way in determining the winner of this semi-final.

Milford - Portsmouth: 2 weeks ago I saw the movie, "The Road", with Viggo Mortensen. It was the story of a world of despair and desperation where every day is grey and hope for humanity is very slim with hardly any sign of life and somehow you move on hoping things will get better. A gourmet meal is a couple of bugs and a dusty can of coke..... geez, this sounds like the Town of Milford if the Spartan basketball team doesn't..... OK OK I'm being a little overly dramatic, but how many times has the word drama and Milford basketball been used in the same sentence? This is where the Milford basketball team wanted to be at the start of the season; on a big open floor in the Final Four with their future in their own hands. Portsmouth has some future plans of their own. I saw the regular season game on Jan. 19th which Portsmouth won 59 - 53. I came away with a few thoughts from this game and please...... these are my un-biased thoughts and in no way shape or form are influenced by any family member in the Town of Milford who's last name begins with the letter M:

- Milford's press was helter skelter and for the turnovers they created they gave up too many number breaks and baskets to the Clippers who with Barton, Lane and DiCesare took complete advantage of this.
- Milford's offense seemed to stagnate because people who should be playing closer to the paint like Nelson etc. were not put in a position to succeed offensively by playing 20 to 30 feet from the basket. A high post flash offense would've helped the half court offensive stagnation.
- Their offense lacked discipline and was too free wheeling.

If Milford can improve on the above points they will play at 1:00 pm on Saturday. Portsmouth is a very smart and very disciplined team. If Milford is going to win this game they have to play grunt basketball and be smart and disciplined also. Milford has better talent than Portsmouth, but if they go "Hollywood" on offense, then the Clippers will take advantage and get Milford to play Clipper ball. The big equalizer for Portsmouth is playing within their system and not going away from it on the big floor. Milford must try to stay away from using this game as a YouTube hilight clip. Remember, with all the talk about Milford and the Big 3, this is the first time they will step on the big stage in front of 3000 people and a big semi-final game in their careers. The Lundholm floor will grip right and won't be slippery. Milford will have a bigger floor to spread themselves out, but have to harness this to their advantage as opposed to making ill advised decisons. The shooting background isn't the best. Not too many teams advance at UNH by chucking it from the outside. How they react to this environment will be of utmost importance. If they can get the Bigs involved in the offense with some good old fashioned disciplined offense it will help the Spartans get a W. It is more important to win with Vanilla ice cream than it is to lose with Kahlua Mocha Chip Fudge Swirl ice cream.

This talk about food is getting me hungry. I'm off to have my lunch with a dusty can of Coke.

I'll pass on the bugs.

[Tuesday and Friday]

It's interesting to note on the WMUR.com website the roads that are closed due to flooding as of 7:13 am this morning:

Durham
Bennett Road
Route 155 A at the Lee town line
Route 108 from Bennett to Simmons
Newmarket Road at Mill Pond

Lee
Route 152 in Lee closed from S curves to Newmarket town line
Tuttle Road
High Road at the bridge
Route 155A to Durham Line


152 and 155A are the 2 main routes to get to UNH off 125 and 4. I'm presuming if these roads are still closed later on today this would pose a problem for the 5000 to 6000 people looking to attend the Class I semi-finals tonight? If anyone knows anything about this situation please post.


Chikid and Boxout:

Please remember the wise words of the Los Angeles, California philosopher, Rodney King, who said:

"People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we’re all stuck here for a while. Let’s try to work it out. Let’s try to work it out."

[basketballtime]

They’ve been friends since as far back as most of them can remember. Basketball has always been a part of that friendship, in some cases beginning in the second grade.

But it wasn’t until they won a championship together as eighth graders that it really started to sink in. Stick together and work at the game both as individuals and a group and we might be able to do something special.

The Milford High School boys basketball team, dominated by an extraordinary junior class, is now two wins away from the school’s first boys basketball title in 35 years.

The first game, the Class I semifinal, is tonight (7:30) at the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gym.

If just getting this far isn’t inspiration enough, the Spartans face defending-champion Portsmouth, the only team to beat them during the regular season.

Junior forward Mike O’Loughlin and junior guards Jamie Holder and Mike Mitchell remember playing recreation basketball together as second graders. Soon they were competing and winning together on town travel teams. Later they’d be teammates and competitors in AAU basketball.

Fellow starting junior Kyle Nelson joined the group in the seventh grade. Five other junior varsity players, Scott McCallum, Dan Desmarais, Devan Smithe, Kevin Kent and Jeff Assselin have been part of the journey.

“I guess I started hearing about them three years ago, right after taking the job,’’ Milford coach Dan Murray said. “We all went over to see them play and followed them through their championship game.

“But I guess we didn’t know exactly how good they’d be yet, because they were still just middle school kids.’’ As freshmen they were divided between three teams, O’Loughlin cracking the varsity roster and the rest split between the JV and freshmen team.

But the development was continuing well beyond the walls of the Milford gym. Mitchell and O’Loughlin started playing AAU basketball in grade school. Holder, a three-sport athlete until a few years ago, started concentrating on basketball in the seventh grade.

“They are very dedicated to the game,’’ Murray said. “What I like is that they listen.

“As good as they are as basketball players and with so many influences around them, if there’s a problem they’ll fix it. There’s no arrogance. I think that’s why we’ve been successful.’’

O’Loughlin’s influence began with his grandfather, who he says turned him on to the game. Then there’s his uncle, Billy Collins, who played high school basketball at Bishop Brady in Concord and went on to earn a scholarship to Rutgers before transferring to Boston University.

“Basketball has always been a big part of my family,’’ said O’Loughlin, who traveled with his grandfather frequently to watch his uncle play at BU. “It was exciting, and I wanted to be part of that.’’ Mitchell was used to winning come up through the system, but didn’t realize how good the group could be until they were eighth-graders.

“We played Pelham in the finals and they had a very good team,’’ Mitchell said. “That’s when we really noticed that we could be competition.’’

Holder thinks the fact that the junior class is so strong is more than just a coincidence.

“I think we’ve all made each other better over the years,’’ Holder said. “I think in some program some kids just naturally move on to other things.

“We’ve stayed together and I think it’s because we’re all such good friends.’’ Murray, a member of Milford’s 1972 Class L championship team, remembers being inspired as while still in middle school, watching Milford teams battle deep into the tournament.

He seems his junior as the perfect role models for the next group of young Milford players now coming up through the season.

“They come to the games, sit in the student section and all want to be the next O’Loughlin, Mitchell or Holder,’’ Murray said.

But Murray – a veteran coach who did a long stint at Wilton-Lyndeborough – knows a group like his current junior class might come along once in a coach’s lifetime.

I have read your posts and i don't quite get your beef about dunking the ball? Any coach in college would love to see a kid or should i say a junior go up and dunk the ball at anytime during the game because it shows that they are not afraid to do so and it shows the potential the kid has. And its not just dunking watch them rebound, watch them pass, watch them create on their own, watch them finish with their left hand watch all that they do in a game not just one thing and that they do wrong and harp at it.That's like telling a shooter stop shooting you keep missing and i don't want to hear the reply good shot bad shot garbage kids in the heat of battle do mess up. Number two these kids are athletes not role players coming off the bench they can do things athletically that most kids can't do and that's what's college coaches really want to see the most because talent can't be learned or something that is coached from the bench. I think it's funny how you comment on woodwards dunk but don't realize 90% of the time that woodward is completely out of control but makes up for it on the athletic side of it. And last but not least these kids are just that kids juniors in high school competing against mostly teams with seniors and with an X on their back the whole year talk about pressure. So until your kid goes through that and does the same with the same type of success than i wouldn't talk about how much you know the game because that's all it is just talk.

[Tuesday and Friday]

Mr. Chikid:

Is anything going to be open in Milford tonight or is the whole town going to be at the Lundholm gym?

[chicagokid43]

Well unlike Friday night as the bar was standing room only after the win over Stark, tonight Elisha's will be a quiet sit down eatery and not a sports bar full of Spartan Faithful. Heard a rumor that there are two fan buses from the school. Weather is nice and my only question is do I take the SUV and drive the through the floods or do I take the Z and try to jump them. lol

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