We are in a very similar situation that we were in last year in Division I. Two of the top teams coming into the season are where we expected them to be in the Final Four. Two teams who were middle-of-the-pact groups in the regular season found a way to get here once again.  

 Portsmouth-Bedford is a clash of two different styles. Bedford is a team that can get out and run and score in a multitude of ways while Portsmouth, who have been a lot better offensively this season than they were last year, are a much more defensive-oriented group behind the likes of head coach Tim Hopley. 

 Are we still considering Londonderry to be a dark horse anymore? Two years in a row for the Lancers in the Final Four. Here is head coach Nick Theo's exact quote from the pre-season preview: 

  “That's how I prepare the season, have the kids play their best basketball at the end,” said Theos. “It may not be perfect, and that's okay with me. I don’t need them to come on right away at the beginning of the season, we need to be perfect at the end.”  

 What an unreal run for Londonderry once again this season. 

 They will face a Bishop Guertin team that is the best in the state in the eyes of many and is a group looking to be back on top of Division I after they didn't have the chance to defend their title last year. 

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 We let five coaches break down and give their thoughts on the Final Four matchups and how they see things panning out.  

Portsmouth vs. Bedford 

Portsmouth Team Page 

Bedford Team Page  

 Bedford looked dominant in both of their victories over Manchester Memorial and Concord. This is an experienced group that seems to be on a mission. 

 "Bedford is a team firing on all cylinders right now," said one coach. "They are finally healthy, which is scary to think about because they were really good before they got their kids back to 100%." 

 Everything starts with Player of the Year candidate Isabella King for the Bulldogs. 

 "They have the best player in the state in Isabella King," said one Division I coach. "She can hurt you many ways. She can score the ball at will. If she has any daylight it is going in. She never forces anything through. She empowers her teammates to make the open shot or make the play, and I think this is a huge reason why they are so strong." 

 King was known for her offensive play coming into this year, but she has proven that she is much more than just a scorer. Her playmaking has opened up a lot of things for Bedford and has helped with the development of freshman big Lana McCarthy. 

 "Lana McCarthy is so strong and has great footwork and touch around the rim," said one coach. 

 The freshman has a back-to-the-basket game that is very rare to see in today's game. McCarthy can finish with either hand and makes it hard for teams not to double her while they also try and blitz King when she has the ball. 

 "When you have natural scorers in girls basketball, it makes all the difference in the world," said one coach. "Bedford has a scorer who will continue scoring 30 even if face-guarded. She will find offensive rebounds and get her points that way too. Then you add a big who is an incredible finisher in the post. I'm not sure who on Portsmouth would be able to take away two options with ease."  

 While the pairing of King and McCarthy is what teams will key in on most, teams can't forget about the depth and experience the Bulldogs possess."Bedford's starting five is legit," said one coach. 

 "The 1-2 combo of King and McCarthy is hard enough to stop, but when the other role kids step up, they are really hard to compete against," said another coach. 

 Saphia Mumpini is the glue that holds Bedford together. Her strong defensive play and ability to hit jump shots complement King and McCarthy to a tee. 

 Catherine Penick is another player who contributes on a nightly basis and sophomore Sydney Grogan hounds teams defensively. 

 "Sydney Grogan can cause some problems for teams with her defense," said one coach. 

 The Bedford starting five is sound and has shown the ability to hit open jump shots. When everyone is a threat it makes it hard for teams to defend them.  

 "Portsmouth is a team that always seems to find themselves in the mix," said one coach. "They are a very tough-minded defensive team who play very disciplined and make it difficult to score."

 The Clippers are a team made up of mainly underclassmen and are ready for a shot at their toughest matchup of the season. 

 "Portsmouth is peaking at the right time," said one coach. This is a team that hasn't had their consistent rotation healthy and on the floor all at the same time until a few weeks ago. The job Tim Hopley has done can't go under the radar. 

 "Portsmouth has always been a defensive-minded team who will grind you down and make you work hard for every point you get," said one coach. "Although young, this version of the Clippers appears to be no different. Hop does a great job with them. They have some length which will help them with all of the size that Bedford has."  

 "Coach Hopley always has his teams playing with poise and composure, and I think this will serve them well in a Final Four situation," said another coach. 

 There aren't one or two stand-out options for the Clippers. This is a team that likes to move it around and get everyone involved. 

 "Portsmouth is very balanced and doesn’t have a kid or two that you can say “take away those options and you have a chance to win”. They spread it around and are always tough defensively," said a Division I coach. 

 "Offensively they are very unselfish and move the ball to wait for the shot that they want," said another coach. "They are a team with great poise and I think this is a credit to how coach Hopley manages each game." 

 Bella Slover and Savannah Emery have been two of the scoring for the Clippers this year and will need to put up big performances on Thursday night. "Can the sophomores carry the scoring load and match the scoring ability of Bedford?" said one coach. That is an answer that is to be determined.  

 They will also call upon the likes of Avery Romps and Margaret Montplaisir to be offensive threats. "They will need to shot well to keep Portsmouth in this one."

 The versatility on both sides of the ball is what makes Portsmouth such an intriguing team. "Portsmouth has a lot of interchangeable parts. Most of their players can play both guard and forward," said one coach. "Many of them can attack the rim and shoot the three pretty well so you can't just take away one aspect. They have depth which could be crucial sending multiple players to guard the Bedford."  

 Another coach pointed out a potential x-factor for Portsmouth, Maddie MacCannell. 

 "They have come through the playoffs thanks to her consistent inside play," said a Division I coach. 

 MacCannell will need to go toe-to-toe with McCarthy and try and match her on both ends of the floor.  

 Even outside of McCarthy, Bedford is a team that thrives in the paint. "Bedford is an elite offensive rebounding team. Portsmouth needs to hold Bedford to one shot and look to push the ball in transition and get easy baskets," said one coach. "The times that Concord and Memorial went on runs against Bedford, they were able to string a couple of stops together and get out in transition."

 Mia Smith may see some reps on Isabella King and will try and contain her as much as she can. 

 "Portsmouth plays great defense and finds ways to win in many ways," said one coach. "They've shown as of late that they can put the ball in the basket, but their scores are usually lower. If they can keep the game in the 40's they have a chance." 

 This one may come down to youth vs. experience. 

 "The 'been there before' attitude and senior leadership will be huge factors for Bedford," said one coach. 

 "A weakness has to be their youth," said another coach. "It may be a strength knowing that they have nothing to lose. They are still a couple of years ahead of schedule." 

 So, who wins this one? 

 "I believe that the player of the year candidate, Isabella King, will have a really good game for Bedford and move on to the State Championship. I hope the moment doesn't catch up to Portsmouth and they are able to play within themselves to make this a close game from beginning to end." 

 "Bedford wins because of King’s ability to score and Portsmouth doesn’t have anyone inside that can deal with McCarthy or the other bigs that Bedford can put out there. They can put out a lineup of four six-footers and that is tough for any team to deal with. It might be close early, but Bedford eventually wears them down." 

 "Bedford. Isabella King is locked in and ready to finish her high school career strong. There are so many ways she can score. She also gives them a second ball-handler if they are getting pressured. Bedford is also playing at a really high level right now and their confidence is through the roof." 

 "In order for Portsmouth to compete, they need to put the ball in the basket. To have a chance against that talent, you need to put 60 up on the board. But... I do love a good upset." 

 "Bedford. Experience, determination, and player skill." 

 

Londonderry vs. Bishop Guertin 

Londonderry Team Page 

Bishop Guertin Team Page 

 Bishop Guertin is back in the Final Four and so are the Londonderry Lancers for the second consecutive season. 

 These two teams played twice in the regular season with BG winning both matchups 80-26 and 51-36. 

 "This might be the best shooting BG team that we’ve seen during their run," said one coach."They have multiple kids who can get it done from distance. They might not be as physical as previous BG teams but they make up for it with sheer speed. BG can score in bunches, that still remains unchanged from prior years." 

 Even when a class as great as BG's seniors were last season graduate, they still find a way to be the top dogs in Division I. 

 "BG is loaded with talent...again," said a Division I coach. "They graduated a lot, but have reloaded and shown that there is no slowing down. They try to speed you up, wear you down, and they do it in waves. Their second five isn't like most other teams." 

 The sophomores who were on last year's team learned from the likes of Erin Carney and Hannah Muchemore and are looking to win a championship of their own this season. 

 "BG does a great job to acquire the state's best talent," said another coach. "It doesn't matter if they are sophomores or not, they are the best players in the league, period. And they have depth. Nothing's changed here." 

 Meghan Stack has continued to play like one of the best players in the state this year. "She is playing like she has something to prove this year," said one coach. 

 You add in the likes of Kailee McDonald, Olivia Murray, and Brooke Paquette, and you have one of the best lineups the division has to offer. 

 "Kailee McDonald is one of the top defenders in the state and Olivia Murray and Brooke Paquette can certainly put the ball in the basket as well," said a Division I coach. 

 "They can play 10 or 11 girls and not miss much of a beat. Without an experienced senior on the roster, this is their sophomore crew’s first run as major contributors and not as role players," said another coach. 

 The patented full-court pressure that BG plays so well will be even more effective on a smaller court. 

 "I think BG has an advantage that the game will be at Sanborn. It’s on a smaller floor, similar to BG’s court where the press is that much more difficult to beat." 

 Londonderry is back in the Final Four after getting by both Salem and Windham in their region. 

 "Londonderry always seems to be playing their best basketball come tourney time and this year is no different," said one coach. 

 While a lot of key pieces have graduated from last year's cinderella run, they still return a player in Ashley Rourke who will be a key for the Lancers.  

 "She has continued to improve each year. She was known as only a shooter when she was younger, but she can now impact the game in a lot of different areas. Can she still play her game with the strength and athleticism of BG's guards?" 

 This is a Londonderry group that has relied on their play on the defensive end, but it will be a tall task with a group as talented offensively as the Cardinals.  

 "Londonderry may go with zone defense which would be an interesting look, but it wouldn't be enough," said one coach. 

 Londonderry will have their hands full for sure and will need to limit mistakes and ultimately put together one of their best performance of the year. 

 "Londonderry doesn’t have the scoring firepower, so they’re going to have to take care of the ball and limit the possessions that BG has," said one coach. "Against BG, you need very good guards and good decision makers. I’m not sure Londonderry has enough of either to handle the pressure they will see from BG." 

 One thing Londonderry must try and do is throw the first punch. 

 "BG has gotten off to slow starts. Londonderry needs to take advantage of that if that is the case on Thursday and try to play with a lead," said a Division I coach. "Once BG gets up by 7-10 points, other kids tend to try to do more than they are capable of and make big plays on their own, and that’s really when BG takes advantage of you." 

 So, who wins this one? 

 "BG just has too much depth and Londonderry doesn’t have the ball-handling or the scoring to keep pace. BG wins." 

 "BG. They just have too many weapons. I know Londonderry played them tough in one of their games, I just think BG has too much talent and too many young players that want to do what last year's seniors did." 

 "BG. The talent they bring in doesn't match up with the rest of the league. It will be Bedford-BG in the championship. Those two teams are in a category of their own in terms of talent."