A year removed from Portsmouth’s 21-0 tour through their new division finds one (slightly heavy) favorite and a group of teams behind them that have a legitimate chance to win it all if they peak in March.

 The margin is razor thin when you get down to the quarterfinal level teams. Meaning having a ‘closer’ and staying healthy are going to be more essential than how you look in the second week of January. “I just don’t see a ton of separation between the Top 10 teams,” said Jim Mulvey of the defending champions. “What happens if one of your key guys goes down with an injury? That would put four or five teams behind you back in front of you.”

 “Having a kid who can score late in games is going to be key.” said first-year Alvirne head coach Marty Edwards. “Because I anticipate a lot of nights where you are going into the last two minutes of a one-possession game.”

 As for whom the favorite is?

 “I don't care who you put #1 its Portsmouth until someone beats them,” said Merrimack head coach Tim Goodridge. “No offense.”

 None taken.

 Division I is going to be a lot of fun to cover in 2018 and we will kick it off with coverage of Spaulding at Exeter Friday night (Justin McIsaac & The Great Jon Kesty) and Winnacunnet at Dover (‘The Franchise’ Jennifer Chick-Ruth & I).

 Today we take a look at Division I in our last of the four pre-season previews.

 

Division I Predicted Order (Ranking the projected 13 tournament teams)

1. Exeter
2. Bedford
3. Portsmouth
4. Manchester Memorial
5. Merrimack
6. Alvirne
7. Spaulding
8. Winnacunnet
9. Manchester Central
10.  Bishop Guertin
11.  Dover
12.  Londonderry
13.  Salem

Lurking outside the Top 10: Nashua South, Concord, Trinity, Keene, Nashua North & Pinkerton

 

A quick explanation of our coverage: Our team of six will bring you five columns per week, statistics & scoring leaders for the entire division and up to four games per week with video highlights & a post-game interview with the entire winning team. If you are a registered user you will see every single article and video highlight in addition to the player or players in your home being featured in our Players Locker Room and Monday Performance Roll Call. If you are a Gold Level member you will be listed as such throughout the year and have access to the fully produced full-game videos of every single game we cover

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“I don’t think we’ll see a lot of zones this year,” joked Exeter head coach Jeff Holmes after rolling through his lineup of ten plus shooters. “We’re fortunate in that we can space the floor with shooters pretty much with any lineup we put out there.”

 There won’t be a team in the state who can shoot the basketball like Holmes’ Blue Hawks will this season. The question will be can they defend and rebound enough to be the last team standing in Durham on March 17th?

 It starts with four-year starter and all-state shooting guard Cody Morissette, headed to Boston College next year on a baseball scholarship. “He’s a tremendous athlete,” said Holmes. “He’s come into his senior season extremely focused and he has range past the three-point line. He could play college basketball if he chose to, that’s how accomplished he is as an athlete.”

 Cam Clark will likely spend time running the point so Morissette can play off the ball on the wing. “We have a lot of confidence in Cam and he knows the offense after spending time in the rotation last year.”

 Max Rose will come off the bench to spell Clark of point guard duties while Holmes is excited about sophomore Ryan Baijava. “My biggest challenge as a coach is incorporating the depth we have as a team. We had a very good JV team a year ago and those players are ready to step in. We also have a lot of returning players so that challenges you to put the right combinations out on the floor.”

 The most anticipated newcomer in the state is 6’2 freshman guard Josh Morissette, who spent his fall playing in weekend tournaments for BABC out of Boston while his older brother was running Hall of Fame coach Bill Ball’s Wing T offense. “Josh is working hard and letting his play speak for him, as you want from a freshman,” said Holmes.

 “He can play all five positions on the floor and his basketball IQ is extremely high. He’s been around the game all his life (Cody & Josh’s father Dave was the longtime head coach at Rivier College) and so he has stepped right in for us and played very well.”

 Bobby Cliche played very well for Exeter a year ago and will be joined in the rotation by fellow returner Ethan Pollet. As many as twelve players may see the floor on a given night and Holmes doesn’t see much of a drop off when he goes deep into his bench. “We will be able to pressure the ball defensively more than we have in the past because of our depth,” said Holmes.

 Shooters around the perimeter and a pair of all-state brothers make Exeter the clear favorite heading into opening night. “There is a real chemistry on the floor between Cody & Josh. I’m their neighbor so I’ve seen them in that driveway for years” said Holmes. “So it’s nice to have them both playing for the same team now.”

 Chemistry is not something that rolls over from year to year. Last season no team in the division had better chemistry than the Bedford Bulldogs who took a team of five new starters all the way to the final Saturday of the basketball season in Durham.

 In 2018 Mark Elmendorf returns three starters from that team and introduces two promising newcomers into the mix. “We’re working towards what we had as a group a year ago,” said Elmendorf. “Our three returning starters are all outstanding people so they are working to get the entire group up to speed. I’m confident we will get there.”

 Max Chartier returns after an all-state campaign a year ago. The 6’2 guard will score when you need him to, likely lead the team in assist and is one of the best leaders Elmendorf has ever coached. “He’s great with the ball in his hands and I think he has the best mid-range jumper of anyone in our division,” said his head coach. “He’s a special kid to be able to coach. He’s constantly communicating with his teammates to help us improve.”

 Nolan Anderson is one of the most improved players in the program and the rare back to basket big man at 6’4. “Nolan is a very good rebounder and he protects the rim for us. If we can get him to finish around the rim at a high level then he is set to have an all-state kind of season for us.”

 Nick Mokas is the third returning starter and if you think Elmendorf gushed about Charier and Anderson...”Nick is so steady for us and he’s a great leader. He’s a kid who has an incredibly bright future ahead of him. When you coach kids like Max, Nolan, and Nick it’s hard not to be successful.”

 Bedford will be successful again; 6’3 Liam O’Connell will step into the scoring role vacated by the graduation of Troy Meservey while Connor Crowley got major minutes in the final four a year ago and will step in right away for the 2017-18 edition of the Bulldogs. “Connor handles the ball well and is a good playmaker,” said his head coach. “He is as competitive as any player I’ve ever seen. He brings it every day to practice and in games.”

 Harry LeGoullon gives Bedford another big body in the paint while Max’s brother (one of three triplets) Chris Chartier will step into the rotation as well. “We want to focus on all the little things like we did a year ago,” said Elmendorf. “That and our chemistry helped us win a lot of tight games last year. I anticipate a lot of very close games because I just think this division is that deep.”

 While it was certainly easy to miss when the Portsmouth Clippers were opening up games with 17-0 and 22-5 margins on a regular basis, it was the defense that separated the 2017 champions from every other team in the state.

 In Shon Parham, Joey Glynn and Christian Peete the Clippers suffocated teams with their patented baseline trap and held very good basketball teams in the 30’s and 40’s.

 The defending champs will be able to score again but the question mark heading into opening night is can they be elite defensively?

 “When I go back and look at the film from a year ago I’m struck by how good we were defensively, from day one against Manchester Central,” said head coach Jim Mulvey, now the owner of four championship rings. “We’re not even remotely there yet with this group. It’s a process and I do see improvements but we are not a very good defensive team yet.”

 While the defense works its way into shape the offense will be able to put up points. Senior, now point guard, Cody Graham will guarantee that. “Cody is unquestionably our best scorer,” said Mulvey. “He’s still not fully recovered from his injury though. I think where he is today and where he will be in six weeks will be vastly different. He’s going to get better as his health improves.”

 Graham played the entire season a year ago with a partially torn PCL and had surgery in Boston on the Monday morning after the championship game win over Bedford. “He is doing a nice job distributing the ball and he can score when he wants to. He isn’t where he needs to be conditioning-wise, I think he’d be the first to tell you that, but I see that coming along as the season gets rolling.”

 Alex Tavares was an all-state forward a year ago and now steps into the center spot vacated by our Player of the Year Joey Glynn, who is currently playing at Tilton Prep and will play for Division I UMass Lowell next year. “Alex is a kid who just understood early on that if you are going to become really good you have to put the work in over the summer and off-season,” said Mulvey. “He’s done that in back to back years and he is a really, really good basketball player because of it.”

 Rebounding will be another area the Clippers will have to improve on over the season. “Last year everyone just assumed Joey would get every rebound,” said Mulvey. “And he pretty much did. This year we are a smaller team and we will need to have five guys rebounding or we are going to spend a lot of time on defense.”

 Guard Mike Sanborn was another breakout performer a year ago and now slides over to shooting guard with Graham running the point. “Last year everyone saw that Mike could shoot but this year he has really added to his game. He’s learned the slide step three (ball fake and slide over as the defender flies past you; see Curry, Stephen) and it’s another element to his game.”

 Max Lincoln can shoot it at 6’4 and will start at power forward after a very good off-season. Hughie MacDonald (who will emerge as an all-interview team candidate in 2018) and Calvin Hewitt each should see time in the starting lineup. “Hughie has had a good pre-season and Calvin has really good court vision,” said Mulvey. “Calvin plays baseball all summer so he’s still getting up to speed but I like his game a lot. Both of those guys are going to help us.”

 To a third straight title?

 “Exeter is the best team I’ve seen and there are about a half-dozen other teams I can rattle off that are better than us today,” said Mulvey who has been talking me out of a Top 5 spot since 2008. “The effort level has been a lot better recently so I think the kids are starting to get it. It’ll be a wide open division so we’re excited to get out and compete.”

 Danny Bryson made the short trip across the city when he stepped down at Manchester West to take over as head coach at his alma mater Manchester Memorial. 

 Bryson is as sentimental as any of us about returning home but he also realizes he walks into a team ready to make a run to the final four. “You could coach for 30 years and not walk into a better situation than I have at Memorial,” said Bryson. “This is a senior-led group that wants to win. What we are working on is becoming more disciplined, that’s both with defensive assignments and taking care of the ball plus building a really good chemistry. On paper, we are as good as anyone but there is a lot of work that has to be put in to get to that level. That’s what we’re striving for.”

 All you need to do is see Manny Alisandro drive baseline and finish over the rim once to know you are looking at one of the best basketball players in the state. Bryson has let Alisandro know that he is going to be a major part of any run through the 2018 season. “He’s an exceptional player in that he plays both ends of the floor,” said Bryson. “He’s worked very hard to develop his game and as far as talent, he is as good as anyone I have ever coached.”

 Tyson Thomas, last seen drilling the game-winning three-pointer against Berlin on Saturday with under a minute to go, will run the point again for the Crusaders. “Tyson is doing a very good job for us, he listens and he has good court vision out on the floor.”

 Shooting guard Elvin Barbosa had a huge game on opening night a year ago and will spread out the defense with his ability to knock down shots from long range. “I thought Elvin had a really good game in the (Coaches for a Cause) Jamboree against Berlin. He’s playing hard for us.”

 Michael Roumraj is a highlight waiting to happen and may be the most explosive player on the Memorial roster. “I have a lot of confidence in him,” said his head coach. “He’s another player who will be out there in crunch time.”

 6’3 Zach Lubin, 6’5 shot eraser Dinebari Adumene and all-glue guy team member Jake Santiago will all play big roles for Bryson’s team. “ Jake has been terrific, he does so many different things out on the floor that helps us win games; from knocking down shots to shutting down one of the other teams go to guys.”

 A sequence late in a one-possession game with Berlin last Saturday illustrated what Bryson wants from his new team and what they can become. “We got the ball back from Berlin because of a hustle play from Elvin, who then got the ball at the top of the key to Jake, who then made the extra pass to get it to Tyson, who knocked down the game-wining three. I said right there, we play like this and we have a chance to be really good.”

 Put a lot of size and four very smart basketball players around a player of the year candidate and hand it to one of the five best coaches in the state, and you’ve got a Top 5 team in Division I.

 Merrimack is a Top 5 team in Division I.

 “I like my team, we have a lot of young players who are going to have to develop for us to be there in the end,” said Tomahawks head coach Tim Goodridge. “But I think we can make the improvements over the course of the year to be there again in the end.”

 It starts with first team all-state guard Ian Cummings who seems to get to the basket off the dribble in about two giant steps. The senior gives Goodridge one of the best closers in the state. “Ian has had a really good career and he’s going to graduate as a 1,000 point scorer at Merrimack. That puts you in a special class of players,” said Goodridge. “He’s a really good kid and his attitude has been great.”

 Owen Ploss showed flashes a year ago of becoming a Top 20 scorer in the division and Goodridge thinks his small forward has made big improvements over the off-season. “He’s gotten much better, he’s bigger and now with a second year in the system he understands exactly what we are trying to do out on the floor,” said Goodridge. “He can knock down shots and that’s what we need from him.”

 6’5 Sophomore Jared Dyer gives Merrimack a legitimate post-presence and the ability to move players around in the paint. Ben Eichman gives Goodridge another shooter who can spread out defenses (“ The game has slowed down for him and he sees the floor better this year than he did a year ago,” said Goodridge) while his brother Joe, an all-state running back, joins the team as a senior. “He’s an unbelievable athlete, still really doesn’t know exactly where he needs to be,” joked Goodridge. “But an unbelievable talent and a player we are going to utilize. I see him locking down the other team’s best guard. He reminds me of (former all-state football player turned basketball player at Merrimack) of Jackson King. Just a player who will do whatever is asked of him.”

 The key player to watch may be sophomore point guard Adam Ellis, who will run the point for the Tomahawks. “I don’t worry about his ability, I worry about his size,” said Goodridge. “Can he take the night to night pounding in Division I? He handles the ball really well and has had a very good pre-season for us. He will have to adjust to the varsity game but we are really high on him.”

 All of which puts Merrimack in the mix once again. “We’re all chasing Portsmouth until somebody beats those guys.”

 Marty Edwards takes over as head coach at Alvirne and inherits a team ready to make a run behind their all-state forward. “This has been a terrific group to work with every day,” said Edwards. “ (former head coach) Brian Lynch did a really good job of preparing this team for the season and as the new head coach coming in you sort of add your own wrinkles here or there and then really just get out of the way and let the kids play.”

 You can do that when you have a senior-laden team with experience and Alvirne has that. It begins with 6’4 all-state forward Max Bonney-Liles, who Edwards sees as a leader in every sense of the word. “In all my thirty plus years of coaching, I don’t remember a player as mature as Max is. He does all the things on & off the court to get everyone together on the same page and it’s been impressive to watch. This group has awesome chemistry and I think that helps you in tight situations out on the floor.”

 Connor Lambert is a 6’2 shooting guard who will force defenses to stray out past the three-point line. Ryan Weston introduced himself to the 2018 season by drilling three first-quarter three-pointers in the Coaches for a Cause Jamboree on Saturday while Joe Canelas has put on 12 pounds of muscle over the off-season. Joining Bonney-Liles as players who have made big-time physical improvements over the off-season.

“We are deep and we have some very good athletes so you might see us pressuring the ball full-court quite often this year,” said Edwards exposing the worst kept secret in Division I. “If we can get the ball out in transition with a player like Max who can dunk the ball on the fly or kick it out to two or three shooters who can knock down three’s, that’s a pretty tough attack to stop.”

 Alvirne won the fall league title with back to back wins over Manchester Memorial and Manchester Central. For the first-year Broncos head coach, it wasn’t that they won the title it was how they won the title. “Max went down with an injury in the semifinals and the team was able to erase a double-digit lead late to beat Memorial. Then they came back and beat Central without Max, and who was the first guy out on the floor when they won? Max.”

 “That kind of chemistry is tough to beat,” said Edwards.

  So will Alvirne in 2018.

 The Fighting McIsaacs of Spaulding high school are set up for a two year run at the school’s first boys’ basketball title in school history. Replacing two-time all-state forward Cal Connelly (currently playing with Joey Glynn at Tilton Prep.) won’t be easy but Spaulding returns a very good nucleus from their 2017 final four team. “The pre-season has gone well so far but what we are missing with a player like Cal graduating is that senior leader every good team seems to have,” said President Tim Cronin. “I think you’ll see players emerge and take on that role but we are a young team in a lot of areas.”

 The player most likely to step into that role is players’ locker room member Keagan Calero, who is a three-year varsity starter as a junior and one of the best defenders in the state. “He’s such a tough kid. He wants to guard the best player on the other team every night,” said Cronin. “He wants that challenge and looks forward to it.”

 Fellow junior Arie Breakfield is poised for a breakout year after an all-state season a year ago. At 6’5 Breakfield can finish above the rim and gets to the basket as well as any player in the division. “Arie continues to develop and with his length, I think he gives a lot of teams problems,” said Cronin. “He has to be a consistent scorer for us every night this year and I think he’s certainly ready to do that.”

 Sophomore Isaiah Rose (you can pencil Spaulding in as my 2018-19 pre-season #1) continues to emerge as he goes from energy guy off the bench to the team’s #2 option on offense. “He’s so smooth with the ball that sometimes he looks like he’s going in slow motion,” said Cronin, “but he always gets the job done.”

 Cade Connelly and Shane Hudson, who both contributed off the bench a year ago, will play bigger roles in 2018 with Hudson likely moving into the starting lineup. “We don’t really designate one player as our 1 (point guard),” said Cronin. “We have a couple of guards very capable of getting us into our offense.”

 Dante McKinney will contribute right away as well for a team looking to advance back to Durham in March. “My biggest concern is our lack of experience in the backcourt but we have some really good players coming back from two straight years in the tournament. That gives us a chance to compete every night in the division.”

 Back to back final four trips as one of the smallest schools in Division I did not put a cap on    Winnacunnet’s run. There is a lot of production to replace from last year’s team but longtime head coach Jay McKenna likes not only the talent his Warriors have but the attitude early on in pre-season practices. “ This group is really close, there are a bunch of players who have been playing together since they were little kids and you get that sense when you see them working together out on the floor,” said McKenna. “The senior leadership, Zach Waterhouse in particular, has been great so I’m anxious to get us out there competing in a very tough division.”

 The centerpiece will be 6’5 junior center Jack Schaake, who steps into a lead role after being a major contributor a year ago. “Jack has been a beast in the pre-season,” raved McKenna. “We’ve had times where I’ve called a play because I want to work on a few sets in scrimmages and the guys just end up tossing him the ball in the post because nobody has been able to stop him yet.”

 Senior shooting guard Zach Waterhouse may be the most improved player on the team after playing a major role on two straight semifinal teams. “He’s playing very, very well right now,” said McKenna. “I think other teams view him as a very good spot up shooter, and he is that, but he’s so much more. He’s getting to the rim and there are times in practice when Larry (assistant coach Larry Francoeur) & I look at each other and say ‘Wow, this kid has gotten better.’”

“Zach has really stepped into a leadership role and all of the seniors are really making an impact, Zach, Matty Doyle, John Simmons, Travis Arsenault…they’ve really understood that this is their team to lead and it’s been great to see. “

 The Winnacunnet offense will look a little different this year with all-state guard Liam Viviano and his slashing style being replaced by 6’4 Ben Allen, who played major minutes a year ago. “Ben is also playing very well. He gives us a different look,” said McKenna. “He sees the floor very well and I think he is going to be a very difficult match-up for a lot of teams.”

 Matt Doyle (I don’t know him well enough to call him Matty yet) is one of those glue-guys who does whatever you need out on the floor and has transformed himself after losing 85 lbs. in the off-season (for reference my 11-year-old daughter weighs 71 pounds). “He’s been terrific and all that hard work is paying off for him right now, such a great thing to see,” said his head coach.

 Both Arsenault and Simmons will contribute right away as will state title game hero Evan Welch and the Kacmarcik brothers Ryan & Brendan of the Warriors undefeated football team.

 All for a team with aspirations of a third straight trip down the highway to Durham. “I’ve been really pleased with where we are early on,” said McKenna. “This division is an absolute grind year to year and this year will be no different.”

Division II Gold Level Coaches & Families: Marty Edwards of Alvirne Basketball, Mark Elmendorf of Bedford Basketball, Rob McLaughlin of Salem Basketball, Jay McKenna of Winnacunnet Basketball, The Waterhouse Family of Winnacunnet, The Graham Family of Portsmouth, The Morissette Family of Exeter, Chris Morse of Hampton, Greg Croteau of Manchester Memorial Girls Basketball, The Kacmarcik family of Winnacunnet

 When you hang out in Manchester with Dave Keefe you get the sense he knows everyone who has ever stepped foot in the Puritan Backroom. In his first season as head coach at his alma mater Manchester Central it often felt, at least early on, like Keefe was just getting to know his own players.

 In season #2 both the Little Green and their head coach have a comfort level it took them three months to find a year ago, and because of that Central should be back in the tournament in 2018. “You have to earn the trust of kids, they’re not just going to hand it you,” said Keefe. “So we’ve spent a lot of time together as a group; certainly on their game but also off the court having the team together at a coffee shop getting to know one another and I’ll tell you it’s made a real difference.”

 Another major difference from a year ago is the play of forward Kyler Bosse, who has dramatically improved. “He made a few plays in the fall league and one of the officials came up to me and said ‘Hey where did you get the new kid from?’” said Keefe. “I said, ‘He started for me last year!”

 Bosse is one of four returning starters from a Central team that missed the tournament a year ago but won four of their last five games to close the season. Antoine Revere will handle the basketball again for Keefe while Yansel Reyes and sophomore Ding Dwang will also contribute right away. The 6’2 forward reminds Keefe of another skinny player he used to coach, “He reminds me of Wenyen Gabriel when he was younger,” said Keefe. “I think he has the opportunity to become a scholarship player down the line.”

 Jeremiah Rivera, still recovering from injuries during football season, and Players Locker Room member Nick Olibrice will jump right into the rotation along with returning starter Eric Curtijo.

 “We’re coming together and we certainly start the season off far ahead of where we were a year ago,” said Keefe.

 A serious youth movement is underway at Bishop Guertin where second-year head coach Matt Regan may start two freshmen after a quarterfinal team of a year ago graduated four starters. “We are really young so there are going to be growing pains and games where we just can’t overcome that,” said Regan. “But I really like the attitude of this team and the effort they are bringing to practice.”

 Yanis Nyantenji was an all-angry email team selection a year ago and becomes the focal point of the team along with forward Kyle Fisher. “Yanis will have a similar role for me this year; score more, give us great energy & effort on the floor and go grab every rebound,” joked Regan. “He’s a kid you really enjoy coaching.”

 Fisher has taken on a leadership role and will be tasked with slowing down the other team’s leading scorer. “His defense is really critical to our success this year,” said Regan. “He’s the only player I have that can guard a bigger scoring forward like Max Bonney-Liles or Ian Cummings.”

 A pair of freshman will jump right into the mix. Darrell Yepdo will be the Cardinals point guard from day one while 6’2 Andrew Lussier will give BG size and scoring. “Darrell is more of a wing player but we don’t have a natural point guard so he will have to slide over for this year at least,” said Regan. “Andrew is someone who I think is ready to play at the varsity level, even as a freshman.”

 Shooting guard Austin Hiscoe will stretch defenses with his ability to knock down treys. The sophomore is yet another part of the BG rebuild.

 6’5 John Begley returns after having to sit out last season with an injury while Davis Camacho returns after contributing a year ago. “The seniors have been really good at helping the freshman and bringing them along,” said Regan. “They’re setting a good example for the entire team.”

 It’s the last season in Ollie Adams Gymnasium for the Dover Green Wave and second-year head coach Matt Fennessy sees no better way to take it out then with a tournament berth. “It’s an unspoken goal at this point but we have an experienced team that is ready to take that next step up,” said Fennessy. “If we can correct a lot of the little things; defense, foul shooting, taking care of the basketball and valuing each possession, then I think we can turn the corner.”

 It starts with 6’3 point guard/shooting guard/small forward/power forward/center Johnny Cantwell, who was also the quarterback too. “Yeah he can play all five positions on the floor,” confirms his head coach.

 Cantwell was part of a nucleus that competed for the 13th and final playoff spot a year ago all the way until the final weeks of the season. “John can score and he’s someone who really leads us at both ends of the floor. Players tend to feed off of his effort,” said Fennessy.

 Ty Vitko gives Dover a knockdown shooter and has also improved his ability to get to the rim off the dribble. “He’s a more dynamic scorer than he has been in the past,” said Fennessy. Ryan Coleman will spend time at the point for a team that has several different players capable of getting the Green Wave into their offense.

 Devin Cady is a three-year starter also poised for a big year. Julian Nicholson gives Dover a lot of size on the block (he was an all-state lineman in the fall) while Nick Yerardi will step in right away.

 “We can score, I know that, we can score in bunches,” said Fennessy. “What we have to be able to do is make stops to win games late. If we can get to that level we are going to be able to compete with anyone game to game.”

 The Londonderry Lancers basketball team was collectively punched in the gut when all-state guard Ethan Garofalo went down with a serious ankle injury in the fall league, ending his junior season before it even began. “It always hits you hard to see one of your players go down but it particularly hit us hard because of how hard Ethan has worked in the off-season,” said head coach Nate Stanton.

 In his place, the Lancers will have a guard-oriented attack that will win on most nights with their defense. “We have 8 seniors on the team so they certainly understand what it is going to take to win games in this division,” said Stanton.

 Cole Britting has been a steady performer for years and now steps into a bigger scoring role with Garofalo out. Sophomore Jack Anderson was able to contribute as a freshman last year and now will be counted on to produce every night. “He understands he has a real opportunity to score and I think he’s ready to take advantage of it,” said Stanton.

 6’2 Ethan May and Dakota Bertrand both have produced in the past and Stanton feels like Bertrand, in particular, could have a breakout year. “He’s the best finisher we have on the team and he gives us an ability to score down low as well as stepping out and knocking down shots.”

 Shane Macnamara has been one of the surprises of the pre-season (“He’s really played well,” said Stanton) for a Londonderry team looking to get back to the post-season for a fifth straight year under Stanton. “It will be about doing all the little things, that 5% extra that gets you wins. That’s our focus with this team.”

 After relying on all-state forward Griffin Curtis to carry most of the offensive load in 2017 it will be more about scoring by committee in 2018 for Salem. “What you pick up with this group early on is how unselfish they are,” said head coach Rob McLaughlin. “The passing has been very good in our scrimmages and I see that carrying over into the season.”

 6’2 Matt Soldano, who quarterbacked the football team to an undefeated regular season, returns as well as 6’3 lefty Nick Hayes. “Nick has a really nice stroke and he broke out for us a bit in our playoff game at Exeter last season,” said McLaughlin. “I expect big things out of him this season.”

 Sophomore point guard Trevor DeMinico showed plenty of flashes as a freshman and now steps into a leading role. “He deferred a lot as a freshman and now as a sophomore, his second year in the system, I see him stepping up and having a really good season.”

 Zach Caraballo does all the little things that help you win games while Kyle Poulin will have an increased role after a very good off-season. “We are more athletic than some of the teams we’ve had here in the past, I want to see that translate into defense,” said McLaughlin. “We are known as a program that defends at a high level and I think for us to be successful this year we are going to have to get back to that level.”

 Nashua South has speed and head coach Nate Mazerolle plans to use it in 2018. “We’re not going to be a half-court team, there are just too many guys who can make an impact with their speed & quickness and we want to put them in the best position to be successful,” said the longtime Panthers head coach.

 Tony Agor has stepped into one of the senior leadership roles vacated by all-state guard Kevin Genao & all-state forward Max Osgood. “This is one of the oldest teams I’ve had here,” said Mazerolle. “We have 8 seniors, 4 juniors, and 1 sophomore.”

 Alex Amigo allowed Genao to play off the ball and out on the wing a year ago and will assume the point guard duties again from day one. “He’s experienced as a point guard and that is pretty critical for any success you’re going to have,” said Mazerolle. “He plays with a lot of speed and takes care of the basketball as well.”

 Richie Mercado should step into a much bigger scoring role for the Panthers while Tyler Bernard may be the team’s most improved player. “Tyler came off the bench for us last season and I expect him to really contribute for us this year.”

 Like Salem Mazerolle expects his defense to create offense. “We are going put pressure on the other team and get our guys out in transition where they are at their best.”

 In his second year as head coach at Concord, Dave Chase is starting to sense that everyone is on the same page. If that continues you can expect the Tide to compete for a tournament spot in 2018. “ The second year as a new head coach is always a lot easier, the kids know what to expect from you and you understand what kind of group you have as well,” said Chase. “Some of the intangibles have started to come together. We are ahead of where we were a year ago and the chemistry with this group has been very good.”

 Brothers Tyler & Teddy Blodgett return as does Jacob Knowles, Matt Lamperin & junior Tyler Bruns. “ We are going to be more of a balanced offense than we were a year ago when really the offense went through (all-state guard) Matt Giroux on every possession,” said Chase. “There is more of ‘let’s move the ball and get the best shot we can’ feel than last year when I think we wanted to get Matt looks.”

 Six seniors will give Concord experience and Chase understands it is a group that wants to make its mark on the program. “These kids are sick of being down. They want to get to the tournament and change the perception of this program,” said Chase.

 When it comes to swapping stories from the 2016-17 season Keene point guard Max Valles is going to have to get his teammates to use their imagination, because none of them were there.

 Kevin Ritter goes through an almost complete overhaul of his roster in Year 2 as head coach. “Max is the only returning player we have so it’s an entirely new group,” said Ritter. “We are going to work to win with defense and we will do that by mixing up our looks.”

 Noah Timmer is an exciting sophomore that will be a big part of the youth movement while Ritter should get rim protection from 6’5 Bosnian transfer student Faris Dzuho, “ I swear I’m not recruiting in Bosnia,” said Ritter heading off any investigation into the matter.

 “We should have some depth and with so many underclassmen there is an opportunity to earn playing time,” said Ritter. “Max will play point guard for us and if you are going to have experience at one position, point guard is a good place to start.”

 Jim Migneault takes over at Trinity after a very young team went 0-18 a year ago. “This group is better than people would assume,” said Migneault. “Last year they were just really young, (former head coach) Matt Lemieux did a great job coaching these guys because they all know how to play. We need to build off of their experience last year.”

 Will Spencer gives Trinity scoring while Zach Dagan & Luke Duffley return to the rotation for a team that will use their small floor at McHugh Gymnasium to pressure full court.

 Ahiei Boi is developing into an all-state level player while 6’5 center Foster Stacy can protect the rim. “We have 10 freshmen on JVs so this is a young program right now with one 3 seniors,” said Migneault. “I’m really happy with how the kids have been working so far.”

 Casey Lane returns for a Nashua North team that lost Alonzo Linton to prep school over the summer …………Pinkerton lost both Jay Reynolds and Joey Merrill in what will be a rebuilding year for the Astros.

 

Pre-Season Player of the Year: Cody Graham of Portsmouth

 

Pre-Season First Team All-State

Cody Graham of Portsmouth

Ian Cummings of Merrimack

Cody Morissette of Exeter

Max Bonney-Liles of Alvirne

Max Chartier of Bedford

 

Second Team

Manny Alisandro of Manchester Memorial

Arie Breakfield of Spaulding

Alex Tavares of Portsmouth

Josh Morissette of Exeter

Jack Schaake of Winnacunnet

 

With apologies to: Keagan Calero & Isaiah Rose of Spaulding, Zach Waterhouse & Ben Allen of Winnacunnet, Cole Britting of Londonderry, Johnny Cantwell & Ty Vitko of Dover, Will Spencer of Trinity, Michael Roumraj & Tyson Thomas of Memorial, Nolan Anderson & Liam O’Connell of Bedford, Kyler Bosse & Antione Revere of Central, Mike Sanborn of Portsmouth, Owen Ploss of Merrimack, Casey Lane of Nashua North, Richie Mercado of South, Connor Lambert of Alvirne, Yanis Nyantenji of Bishop Guertin, Tyler Bruns of Concord and Matt Soldano & Nick Hayes of Salem.

 

The New Hampshire High School Hoops Show returns Saturday morning at 9:07 am. Pete Tarrier & Dave Haley re-cap every game from the Friday night schedule while covering all four divisions. We’ll have two coaches on the show every week and you can listen in right here on our homepage by clicking the LISTEN LIVE BUTTON. The show comes to every week on 99.9 FM & 1370 WFEA radio in the Manchester area or listen in on your TuneIn Radio App.

 

 

Coming December 4th, 2018: The Division IV Preview