It’s back! The Winter edition of the Top 10 is here. The listicle you can’t live without. Just remember– this is a STATE WEBSITE and I expect you to send me ideas for this list. YOU GOT THAT?!?!?!

The Top 10 is brought to you by TJ’S in Portsmouth! My absolute favorite spot in Portsmouth to catch a game. Tell Bethany that McIsaac sent you

It's the last Top 10 of the year, and in true McIsaac fashion, it's late. Thanks for reading this nonsense every week! I truly appreciate it! 

10. LET’S NOT LET KYLE DUBE’S PERFORMANCE GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE

Sometimes we can tend to forget the semi-final games after the glow of Championship Saturday, so let’s not forget that Kyle Dube of Merrimack Valley was an absolute monster in the Pride’s loss to Kearsarge. 22 points, 7 boards, 2 blocks on a night where the rest of the offense struggled, he really kept them in it.

9. SPEAKING OF WHICH, WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAS THE MAX DESROSIERS SHOW

7-10 from the field with 4 bombs, and Dave and I were looking at each other in disbelief – Max DesRosier  was NOT in the scouting report, but with Exeter locking up Ethan May, he kept the Lancers in the game.

8. MICHAEL FERRENCE’S DEFENSE

Alex Tavares was held to just 3 points in the D1 Semi-Final, and a lot of that had to do with the defense of Michael Ferrence of Salem. Talking to a few D1 players after the game, the consensus was  “I hated playing against him, but I’d love to have him on my team”.  I can’t think of a better compliment.

7. WE GOT A DOG

LOOK AT HIM!!! Here’s Cujo the newest member of the McIsaac family. He’s 7 pounds of sheer manliness. LOOK AT HIMMMMMMMM!!!!

6. CON-VAL’S SEASON

Man, Pembroke went out and won a well deserved state championship, but Con-Val was neck and neck with that Spartans team throughout the semi-final game. 15 lead changes in a very fun final four contest. Going into the game, if you hadn’t seen Con-Val in action, you could be forgiven for thinking that Pembroke might run them out of the gym, if you only looked at the teams the Cougars beat this season (They didn’t play ORHS, Pembroke, or Pelham). But the Cougars showed very quickly that they belonged, giving the eventual champs everything they could handle and then some.

5. BASKETBALL CHRISTMAS

I say this every year, but we get a new set of readers every year, so I’m gonna keep saying it: The 6 games at UNH are the most fun part of the season, regardless of who’s playing and how the games are. I get to games sturdily early anyway, just because I’m terrified of being late, but I always get to UNH extra early. It’s great to just to watch the gym fill up, see all the coaches, players, and refs get together for the finale of the season. It’s a great time to be in the NH HS Hoops community,  even before a ball gets thrown into the air for an opening tip.  

4.  YOU KNOW WE’RE ALL ROOTING FOR GARDNER WEBB RIGHT?

Come on, how funny would it be for Virginia to lose to a 16 seed two years in a row? It would be a damn riot. Nothing against Virginia or their kids, but since they have the distinction of being the first 1 to lose to a 16, we all need to see it twice in a row.

3. KEARSARGE’S RUN

From a 9 seed to the last Saturday of the season, a magical run for Nate Camp and his kids came to a close at the hands of Pembroke. A tough 2nd quarter and 2 quick fouls on Noah Tremblay, not to mention super Freshman Adrian McCarthy getting banged up ultimately doomed the Cougars, but not before Kearsarge made a late run to make things interesting. A great season to be sure.

2. PEMBROKE WOULDN’T BE DENIED

After getting their hearts ripped out and stomped on last year (in one of the best Semi-Final games I’ve seen),  we all thought Pembroke and Oyster River were destined to meet in the Finals this time around. It didn’t quite end up as we expected (things rarely do), but Pembroke faced a tough road nonetheless.

Being down big to Kennett at the half, getting a white-hot Con-Val team that traded haymakers, and squaring off with a Cinderella team that just wouldn’t go away – it wasn’t a clear path.  Noah Cummings and Sean Menard were the dynamic duo, with a great supporting cast, and Rich Otis doing an excellent job getting this team back to Durham and to the promised land. Congrats to the Spartans!

1. 42 YEARS WASHED AWAY

Exeter has had some stinging disappointments over the last few years, but last year might have been the toughest to take – a loaded squad that ran into a team on one of the most magical runs we’ve seen, plus all the 3 pointers that were two pointers, missing points, and whatnot… but it all seems like a hundred years ago now that Exeter has lifted a championship trophy.

Kevin Henry was a killer in the finals after Josh Morrisette led the way in a semi-final win, and one of the deeper teams in recent memory led Exeter to their first D1 title, after taking a Class I crown back before I was born.

You’ve got to feel great for the Exeter kids, and for Jeff Holmes, who had the pressure of a team that everyone thought should win it all, and got them the title Exeter has craved. Congrats to the Blue Hawks!

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: It’s time to remember what channel Tru TV is, I’m rewatching The Sopranos and as it turns out they’re all terrible people, St. A’s run continues, I’m ready for baseball & softball  

Justin McIsaac writes the Top 10 every week (usually). He is the 2018 NSMA NH Sportscaster of The Year.  He has 1,000 jobs, including radio color commentary for UNH Football, Producer of "NH Today with Jack Heath", HS play by play for MOSN, The McIsaac On Sports Network, college play by play for Dartmouth, St Anselm’s, UNE, Harvard, and whoever else will cut the check. Follow him on Twitter: @justin_mcisaac