Fall League

Fall League is under way. The boys have 22 teams and play their games at Rivier and Memorial High Sunday mornings 7:30 am to 12:00 pm. The girls have 16 teams and play their games at Rivier on Sunday afternoon/evening from 1:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

It was very humid at Memorial yesterday. It had the feel that was more of a summer league game than a fall league game. Dover beat Concord and Trinity handled Campbell. I was looking forward to seeing the Bedford - Memorial matchup to see Bedford's tall front line against the fast, quick and athletic Crusaders, but there was something that didn't allow this matchup to come to fruition.

The girl's side has Londonderry, Pinkerton, BG and Memorial which should make for some nice D1 games. Campbell, Bedford and Souhegan provide some nice competitive D2 teams to the mix.

I have been rousted before previously by colleagues for putting the schedule online, so not being one to create animosity, if you would like to know when YOUR team is playing or maybe a nice matchup PM me any time.

The boy's regular season games go until October 23rd. Playoffs are held October 30th at Rivier and Memorial from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm. The semis and championship game will be held at Rivier on November 6th. The semis are at 9:00 and 10:00 am. The championship is at 11:00 am.

The girls play until October 30th and have no playoffs.

I had to look twice at the roster of teams for Fall League, but the boy's team at North IS NOT competing in the Fall League.

Interesting.

Trinity beat Merrimack in a good fall league game at Memorial yesterday.

Couple of decent games on Sunday October 23rd at Memorial:

7:30 am Memorial vs Central

8:30 am Pelham vs Bedford

The playoffs start on Sunday October 30th at Rivier and Memorial

Is it basketball season yet?

All fall league playoff games are cancelled tomorrow at Memorial and Rivier because of this miserable, unbelievable and totally painful Halloween snow storm.

The games are rescheduled for Sunday Nov 6th.

Here's an update on the Fall League playoffs with the rescheduling due to the Sinister Snowtober Snowstorm.

With the rescheduling everything will be finished this Sunday. There are games at Rivier involving teams not playing for the Championship. All the games at Memorial involve teams still alive playing for the Championship.



NEW SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER 6TH




MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL (MHS)

7:30AM Memorial vs Souhegan

8:25AM Dover vs BG

9:20AM Trinity vs Pelham

10:15AM Nashua South vs Alvirne

11:10AM MHS 7:30am winner vs MHS 8:25am winner

12:05PM MHS 9:20am winner vs MHS 10:15am winner

1:00 PM CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – MHS 11:10AM WINNER VS MHS 12:05 WINNER

Don't forget to set your clocks back. I will be there for the 830 game.

Thanks for the heads up on the daylight savings. The Forum is just more than sports.

Won't be there for the quarters due to prior b-ball commitment, but me thinks I could be there for the semis.

I know it's early for the 2011 - 2012 season, but I think there might be a new catch word. The 2010 - 2011 season's catch word was definitely......EPIC. I'm thinking for the Fall League playoffs it is becoming an apparition that BG and Trinity might meet in the Championship game. I find this:

COMPELLING

I also feel COMPELLED to attend the Fall League playoffs this Sunday at 1 Crusader Way.

It is early, but there is definitely a certain COMPELLINGLY reason why COMPELLING or derivatives thereof could be used a bit for the 2011 - 2012 NH high school basketball season.

BG beat Pelham 48 to 41 to win the Fall League championship today at Memorial.

In the semis BG beat Memorial and Pelham outlasted Alvrine. Pelham had a very impressive day of basketball as they upset Trinity in the quarterfinals. I will post more thoughts on today's playoffs later.

GNG called to ask me to define the word: Later.

Well, I've said bye to some people and said see you later and the next time I saw them was 5 years later. I've done some projects where I said I would do them later and that was the next day. I said I would post some thoughts on the Fall League championships later also.

Now is later:

I came away very impressed with what Pelham brought to the Memorial gym on Sunday. They don't wow you with size or athleticism. They are very impressive with their basketball IQ, toughness and their harmony as a team. They do a great job of digging into a basketball foxhole and clawing and scratching for everything. They are physical and will be tough for a lot of D2 teams this season. You'd better be prepared to match Pelham's toughness both physically and mentally. They beat Trinity by grinding them down. They did the same thing to Alvrine and nearly did the same thing to BG.

Tomaswick has the potential to have a big year for the Broncos. He's athletic around the hoop. If he can add a consistent short range jumper to his repitoire he could make 2nd team or HM all state.

BG was much more impressive in the behavioral department from the last time I saw them in summer hoops. They played more like a synergistic team last Sunday. The woofing and cat calling was at a minimum. Brad Holler played very well in the championship game. His shot looked good and he had some nice assists. If he can focus more on the game and less on the refs and teammates' mistakes he could have an impressive year. He has to let the game come to him as opposed to trying to impose himself on the game. Joe McCarthy looked very athletic rebounding, running the break and playing good defense. He's poised to have a very good year. Nate Chartrand could be one of the most versatile players in D1. Every time I watch him he does a lot of positive things on the court.

Trinity still has some point guard kinks to have adjusted by a basketball chiropractor. You really have to wonder about the mass exodus of their point guard position from last season: Majong, Descoteaux and Dickson. The deletion of these 3 players and the position they represented left a void in the Pioneer team that will be interesting to watch. The Pelham point guard took away many options from the Trinity point position. Trinity will have the formidable front line. If I'm another team I try to stay away from letting Trinity get set up in their half court offense. I try to cut them off at the point, so to speak. If I'm an early Trinity opponent I drill my team on assaulting the Pioneers with full court pressure. I make the Pioneers prove they have some one capable of playing point guard. Last season I questioned BG and their PG position. Pyzocha proved me wrong as the season went along. He wasn't the truest sense of a point guard, but he had a lot of intangibles which made him into a capable point guard by mid season and right to winning the championship. Trinity does have a lot of people who are good players. They have a lot of depth and good coaching. They just don't have a solution for their point guard position.........Yet.

Heading into Fall League I thought there was an upper tier in D1 of BG, Trinity, Central and maybe another team or two. I still feel there is an upper tier, but the gap between the upper tier teams and the next level of teams has tightened a bit in my mind. I don't see a team in D1 going 17 -1 or 16 -2. It is conceivable the top team in D1 could go 14 - 4 this season. This would mean the playoffs would be wide open. Ask me to give you a pre season 1st team all state team and I have no clue. I will have to wait for at least the first month of the season to play out before I even begin to form an opinion on all state teams. Not only is is wide open in teams, but it is wide open in talent also.

I do know Central will host BG on the first Friday of the season. That will be an interesting one in the emotional department. Lot of questions heading into the 2011 - 2012 season. I find this very....

.......Compelling.