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The Kevin Shaw of Roche Realty Notes & Senior/Underclassman team news

By Dave Haley, 03/03/21, 6:15AM EST

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Ben Mattioni and Oyster River travel to Sanborn (photo by Matt Parker)

 

  I decided to put together an impromptu column looking ahead to Wednesday and Thursday’s tournament games and our NHsportspage senior & underclassman team games.

 Our column today is brought to you by Kevin Shaw at Roche Realty.

 Kevin Shaw at Roche Realty Group is our partner for all of our Lakes Region coverage. Kevin has over 20 years of experience and sold the most properties in the state in 2019 with 83 sales, closing over 36 million dollars in sales!

 Reach out to Kevin today; he is not only the top realtor in the Lakes region but sells statewide as well.

 In 2019, teams made up of seniors, and under-classman took on BABC out of Boston, one of the most storied AAU programs in the country.

 That began a tradition where two teams will be named every year to compete against BABC. We also hope to have games scheduled this summer against similar teams from Maine and Vermont.

 Rob McLaughlin of Salem was the head coach of the senior team, while Eric Saucier of Conant served as the underclassman team head coach.

 NHsportspage Seniors vs. BABC highlights

 NHsportspage Underclassman vs. BABC highlights

 The plan for the 2021 teams right now is to hold the games, at least three practices and a scrimmage sometime in June.

 Usually, the practices would happen the week after the end of the regular season, but we will give it more time as the weather gets warmer and more vaccinations are being administered by the day.

 The teams have not been chosen yet. I will meet with the two head coaches and their assistant coaches after the season. We will then begin reaching out to the players who were chosen.

 The head coach of the senior team will be Cole Etten of Hollis-Brookline, who will be assisted by John Mulvey of Portsmouth.

 The head coach of the underclassman team will be Nick Fiset of Epping, who will be assisted by Jeff Baumann of Timberlane.

 The 2022 head coaches will be Lorne Lucas of Spaulding, who will coach the seniors, and Jay Darrah of Pittsfield, who will coach the underclassman team.

 We plan to film parts of the practices to be shared on our social media platforms and have full coverage of the games.

 Stay tuned for more details.

 Now for my quick thoughts on the tournament games tonight & tomorrow;

 

               We will be out at six games in the next two nights:

   Lance Legere & ‘The Franchise’ Jennifer Chick-Ruth will be in Pittsfield tonight when the Panthers take on Portsmouth Christian.

  Pete Tarrier & Ian Melewski will be in Belmont when the Red Raiders take on White Mountains.

 Austin Grass & I will be at the Alma Mater when Gilford takes on Winnisquam.

 Tomorrow night Jen & Lance will be at her alma mater when the Pembroke Spartans visit the David Smith Dome to take on Coe-Brown

 Pete Tarrier & Ian Melewski will be in Keene when the Blackbirds host the Alvirne Broncos

 I will be at Exeter high school with Nichole Marrero when the undefeated Blue Hawks take on Winnacunnet.

  We also plan to cover six additional boys & girls’ playoff games this weekend. We will announce those on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.

                

  Division I

  Tournament Bracket

 Region 1: Give a lot of credit to two very good coaches for the job they have done at Spaulding.

 The Red Raiders team I saw opening night hardly resembles the one that beat Dover 58-49 in the first round on Monday night. Rob Fauci has done a very good job while Lorne Lucas has been able to be effective even while he’s unable to be in the gym every day with his players.

 Whoever I’m interviewing on Thursday night, whether it is Exeter or Winnacunnet, will still have a big hill to climb as the winner likely still has to beat Portsmouth, who has shot the ball much better in the last two weeks, on the road. That’s unless Spaulding can pull off what would be a big upset.

Region 2: No real surprises on Monday night as Trinity blew out Concord and Bedford beat Manchester Central on their home floor.

  Bedford has been coming together nicely under Frank Moreno in the last few weeks and should give Goffstown a really tough test tomorrow night.

 Don’t sleep on Manchester Memorial on their home game against Trinity. Royce Williams, who scored 29 points in the win at Concord, and the Pioneers are the big favorites but rivalry games in the tournament usually are a lot closer than expected.

Region 3: Who had Timberlane vs. Merrimack in their brackets?

 The Owls pulled off a stunner at Windham on Monday night. Taking the lead on a Sean Chanakira drive, scoring the last five points of the game and surviving a Joey DaSilva 3-point attempt that rattled out to win 58-55. I told you not to sleep on Jeff Baumann and the Owls.

 They now turn their attention Merrimack shooting guard Jack Tarleton, who finished the regular season with a 34-point performance against Londonderry.

 The Tomawhawks looked done a week ago but will feel like they can beat Timberlane on their home floor.

 The winner of that one will face the winner of Pinkerton at Londonderry. Jackson Cox returned in the finale for the Lancers after being out since February 2nd.

 Region 4: Bishop Guertin at Nashua North should be a terrific battle. We had hoped to cover the game but weren’t able to get approval at either of the Nashua schools (Lqnce Legere had hoped to cover the Nashua South girls game against Alvirne last night).

 Pete & Ian will be in Keene for what should be a contrast in styles between the Blackbirds and the Broncos. Kevin Ritter’s team will try and speed up Liam O’Neil and Alvirne while Marty Edwards’ team wants to pound Keene in the half-court.

 Alvirne played a much tougher schedule this season because of Keene's regional restrictions (I just made that term up).

 Will that play a big factor in the game?

 

 Division II

 Playoff Bracket

 Region 1: We will be out at Coe-Brown Academy when Pembroke rolls in. Expect a close one, the Bears are not easy to beat on their home floor and guard Cole Smith has been playing really well for Coach Smith at the end of the season.

 I expect Oyster River to give Sanborn a good battle as well. ‘The Big Smooth’ Lewis Atkins was a good coach before he joined the Portsmouth coaching staff three years ago and he’s become a better one since.

 The Mulvey’s are known for how much they scout their opponents (Cal Hewett once told me they had seven pages on Exeter) and Atkins has been watching a lot of film as he makes his way through a new division.

 The question is can they slow down Dylan (22.3 ppg) & Jared Khalil (14.3)?

 Region 2: Manchester West got by Souhegan as expected. Look for two very good coaches to try and control the pace when John Langlois brings his Crusaders to Cole Etten and Hollis-Brookline.

 Pelham should move on against Milford and await the winner, playing either West at home or Hollis-Brookline on the road, because you know, we picked out of hat…

 Region 3: As expected and outlined in the preview we get Con Val at Lebanon and Bow at Hanover. A lot of coaches I’ve spoken to like Hanover in a close one over Bow. I'm sticking with the Falcons.

 Region 4: Mike Sullivan of Plymouth is one of the most respected coaches in Division II by his peers so it was great to see the Bobcats beat a good Merrimack Valley team in the play-in game.

 They now travel to play a Laconia team that beat them twice during the regular season, 56-35 & 50-38. The Bobcats aren’t going to have any trouble being physical with the Sachems but can they score enough to win?

 Kingswood and Kennett should also be a good one, with the edge going to Brogan Shannon, Ethan Arnold and the Knights.

 Kingswood is scary because if Shannon or Arnold are both on you're going to have to send multiple defenders at them, opening up the floor for the rest of Joe Faragher's team. The way to beat Laconia is to get them in a shootout.

 If there is a team in this region capable of doing that, its Kingswood.

 

 Division III

 Tournament Bracket

 We are covering both of these games tonight, so let's bullet point the keys.

- If I'm Gilford the player who really concerns me is Phil Nichols. Sounds relatively obvious to name Kevin Dame's all-state forward, but the reason is that he has the shooting range to spread out that Gilford zone defense.

 A year ago, White Mountains went all the way to the final minutes with the Golden Eagles in the quarterfinals, not because the Spartans had figured out the Gilford zone but because Jack Curtis was shooting effectively over it. If Nichols is hitting shots that pulls 6’2 Riley Marsh and 6’5 Jalen Reese out and opens the middle for players like Anthony Robbins & 'Hurricane' Caleb Bushway.

- If I'm Kevin Dame, my biggest concern is Gilford jumping out early and then just pounding the glass for the next three quarters. Winnisquam has to use their speed and be aggressive in transition. Yes, Gilford likes to run as well, but Winnisquam is the most athletic team they have played all season. You go with what works, apply pressure, and push the pace.

- I like Belmont over White Mountains tonight, but man, Mike Curtis's team, matches up well with Jim Cilley's team. I think White Mountains tries to make Belmont beat them from behind the arc and does everything they can to keep Jackson Ruelke out of the paint.

- Nate Sottak, and specifically his defense, will be a significant factor tonight. He's a very smart defender, and has a knack for helping at the right time to force a key turnover.

- White Mountains 6'8 center Avery Hazelton won't kill Belmont on his first shot, but he will if he is allowed second chance opportunities on the glass. That's where Jim Cilley's team needs their focus, not on the first shot; it's the second shot where he beats you. Whether that falls on Jamison Gaudette to stop him or a group of players, that’s the key tonight to winning or moving on to baseball season.

 Region 2:  I mean no disrespect to Fall Mountain or Stevens, but this is coming down to Kearsarge at Mascoma on Saturday night, and 'The Franchise' Jen Chick-Ruth & I will be there for that one.

 If these were football games I'd like Stevens & Fall Mountain.

Region 3:  I watched just about all of Conant's come from behind win over Monadnock. I thought the Huskies would win the game, but when the momentum swung, Monadnock started taking quick shots while Conant worked the ball until they found the one they wanted.

 That was a tough loss for a Monadnock team with title aspirations but also a tough draw. There might have only been 40 people in the gym cheering, but they were all cheering for their Orioles, and if you don't think that's a home-court advantage, you're mistaken.

 Conant head coach Eric Saucier did something very smart in this one; whenever Monadnock's all-state guard Jake Kidney drove hard to the basket (and he was very effective doing it), Conant would push the ball hard up the floor. Even after a make, essentially taking Kidney out of the play on the other end of the floor. It's another example of Eric Saucier's experience as a head coach.

 I can remember Jen covering a Conant playoff game a few years back, and she was shocked at parents loudly complaining about Saucier as a coach.

 I can't speak to those people, but I can say today that if you've failed to realize he is one of the top 5 high school basketball coaches in New Hampshire, ask the coaches who go against him.

 When Saucier coached against BABC two years ago Leo Papile's team was filled with future Division I players like Shy Odom & Josh Morissette. They came out and pressed our underclassman team, who had exactly one practice under Saucier to prepare.

 Saucier called a timeout, and the next thing you knew, players like Derek Crowley and Brendan Choate were going right through the BABC press. One timeout, one adjustment.

 After the game, Leo told me he had never had an opposing coach break his press that quickly the first time he had seen it.

 Conant is very fortunate to have him.

 As for their chances tonight Hopkinton has played the tougher schedule, and they have the home court.

 Steve Signor's team is the favorite, while Mascenic Regional should have little trouble with Hillsboro-Deering tonight.

 Region 4: I'm starting to think Campbell is the team to beat in this region….they square off with Raymond in a terrific match-up tonight.

 The winner likely faces Sean Murphy and St. Thomas in the regional final.

 

 Division IV

 Tournament Bracket

 Region 1: Farmington head coach Adam Thurston put two defenders on the divisons leading scorer Owen Finklestein and nearly pulled off an upset win over the Epping Blue Devils on Monday night.

 I don’t think you’ll see Newmarket head coach Jamie Hayes put two players on Finkestein. I do think you’ll see his best defender Jack Noon on him and Mule defenders blitzing him on any ball screens.

 The key for Epping will be point guard Mike Picard handling pressure on the ball and Nick Fiset’s team getting points in the paint against Owen Tower & Owen Hayes.

 Lance Legere & Jen Chick-Ruth will be at Pittsfield tonight where the Panthers will be the underdogs on their home floor against an experienced Portsmouth Christian team that played a difficult schedule this season.

 Region 2: The more Holy Family has been seen on film the more teams are throwing different looks at them. The question is; does Hinsdale have the personnel to slow Karl & Yann Yonkeu down?

 What Carl Anderson’s team has going for it, besides Carl Anderson himself and the fact they play in a Dome, is that they have enough depth where they can throw multiple defenders at them.

 Aiden Davis, Arth Patel & Brayden Eastman will need to play their best game of the season for the Racers but they won’t have to do more than their capable of.

 Hinsdale has played a difficult schedule and they built a solid rotation while doing it. Holy Family visits the Carl Anderson Dome tonight.

 Mount Royal has been playing much better in the last three weeks. Louis Larosiliere and Jordan McDonnell give them a punchers chance, but I’m not sure they have the depth to beat Sunapee.

 The Lakers have Nick Pollari back and Tim Putchler’s team has looked final four bound all season long behind Sean Moynihan, Harper Flint, Jacob Stoughton, Austin Tschudin and Drew Clifford.

 Region 3: I miss America’s Team the Lisbon Panthers and it feels like a nation does as well. We couldn’t even get stats out of the Panthers this year….tough break up for us here at NHsportspage. Why do you think Lance Legere has lost so much weight?

 Woodsville still is a double-digit favorite over the other three teams left in the region.

 Concord Christian will be favored to beat Franklin tonight but I have a feeling the Golden Tornadoes are going to be a tough out.

 Region 4: Congratulations to Colebrook all-state guard Carson Rancourt who scored his 1,000th career point in a first-round win over Pittsburg-Canaan. Next up for Ryan Call’s team is a trip to Littleton.

 The Mohawks have to take care of the ball against the Crusaders pressure defense led by Landon Bromley & Parker Paradice.

 Colebrook has to try and make Littleton beat them from the perimeter but Trevor Howard’s team defends at a high level and turnovers have been Colebrook’s Achilles heel all season.

 Groveton shouldn’t have much trouble with Profile, setting up a regional final at Littleton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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