(13) Portsmouth Christian at (4) Derryfield School

 This is a game we will have full coverage of as The Great Jon Kesty and I will be in Derryfield tomorrow night joined with my new color analyst The Big Smooth Lewis Atkins.

 Rob Bradley’s Cougars won both regular season meetings over PCA 64-56 (at PCA) and 55-37 at home.

 PCA is one year removed from a title game appearance against Littleton but Kylani LaFleur, Shaun Bradley and The Big Smooth (when you meet him please refer to him as the Big Smooth, he hates being called Lewis) have all moved on. Paul Staude, Drew McCormick and Joe Yoon remain though and that gives them a punchers chance as they head to Manchester for a third go around with Rob Bradley’s team.

 PCA is a scary low seed because of all that experience plus Staude’s toughness (he’s not going out without a fight) but they have been very uneven all season long.

 PCA played the single toughest schedule in the division and own good wins over Pittsfield and at Farmington (by 32 points). They also have lost eight games by double digits and having watched film of their 77-34 loss at Littleton they looked like a team that didn’t want to be there.

 But…when they walk out to center court on Tuesday night they will have three of the top six players on the floor. How they handle Sam Anderson (15.8 ppg and also not going down without a fight) on the boards will be a key. Anderson creates constant second looks with his offensive rebounding and I’m a big Andrew Dubreil (8.9) fan, he’s one of the most underrated guards in Division IV.

 Derryfield can’t ever stay very low under the radar because they are Derryfield. With their man to man defense and Anderson as the Alpha Dog they have the kind of team that could give northern teams used to seeing zones every night fits up in Plymouth.

 Their road to get back after a one year absence isn’t going to be easy and that starts with Portsmouth Christian tomorrow night.