We are back with the Thursday Thoughts near the mid-way point of the regular season.

  Next week we will have a mid-season snapshot look at Divisions III and IV, with all-state picks and a final-four prediction.

 We’ll have a separate Thursday column on Divisions I & II with their mid-season snapshots coming the following week.

 Before we get into the rankings, we want to announce the dates for our senior and underclassman team games and practices.

 The first two practices will take place on Monday, March 13th, and Tuesday, March 14th.

 On Wednesday the 15th, Epping high school will host a girls/boys doubleheader, with the senior team taking on the underclassman team.

 On Thursday, both teams will take on Maine at a location to be determined.

 Portsmouth head coach John Mulvey is the head coach for the senior team and will be assisted by Ryan Cowette of Goffstown.

 Jay McKenna of Winnacunnet is the head coach of our underclassman team and will be assisted by Jeff Baumann of Timberlane.

 Teams will be announced by the end of January.

 Today's column is brought to you by our friends and partners at Exeter Hospital! 

 Core Orthopedics and Exeter Hospital’s Sports Medicine Team has a wide range of specialists to help your high school athlete recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions, and work with athletic trainers to get back in the game. Find them at coreorthoaandsportsmed.com

 

 Division I Standings and Top 20 Scoring Leaders

 Thank you to our Gold Level Coaches!: Jaryd Piecuch of Londonderry, Lorne Lucas of Spaulding, John Fisher of Bishop Guertin, Jeff Holmes of Exeter, Leo Gershgorin of Alvirne, John Mulvey of Portsmouth, Matt Fennessey of Dover, Dave Chase of Pinkerton, Tim LaTorra of Concord, Rob McLaughlin of Salem, Frank Moreno of Bedford, Jeff Baumann of Timberlane and Keith Bike of Trinity.

 

1. Pinkerton Academy-  The Astros are building depth, accumulating impressive wins (BG is not an easy place to play), and working their first-team all-state forward Anthony Chinn, back into the lineup. Terrific job by Tyrone Chinn steadying the ship and running the point. The Astros would be wise not to look past Keene when they head west tomorrow night. 

2. Nashua North- Keep an eye on the development of center Robin Rodriguez (who had 8 points in a win at Keene on Tuesday) and Adrian Lazo (9 points at Keene and 11 in the win over Bedford). Their emergence gives Steve Lane’s team two more reliable weapons and takes the pressure off of the all-state duo of Trevor Labrecque and Jayden Montgomery.

3. Bedford- Good to see player of the year candidate Aiden O’Connell back on Tuesday night, scoring 21 points in a win over Exeter, after twisting his ankle in the final minutes of the loss to North. The Bulldogs need more rebounding; O’Connell has been their leader on the boards but should be fine once forward Austin Kasyjanski returns.

4. Nashua South- Most of the team was at the North/Bedford game last week, disappointed their game that night against Trinity had been canceled by a leaky roof. They need to get past a dangerous Timberlane team tomorrow night before they have a week off to prepare for their showdown with Nashua North. Did you even have to ask if Pete Tarrier will be in the building to cover that one for us?

5. Bishop Guertin- I think the identity of John Fisher’s team becomes their ability to defend. With Bobby Canaway and Javari Ellison back, the Cardinals have the personnel to match up with anyone.

6. Manchester Memorial- Danny Bryson’s team is a lot of fun to watch and has been one of the surprises of the season. Abdalha Ramadhani led the way with 15 points in a 69-52 Tuesday night win over Salem, while Christian Bilolo added 14 and Devin Lavalee 11. Next up is a showdown with BG.

7. Exeter- The Blue Hawks two losses have come to the #1 and #3 teams in the state, and they battled Bedford on the road Tuesday night. They now have a stretch coming up that will tell you a lot about their chances of securing a Top 4-seed. Jeff Holmes’ team has a week off before their rivalry game with Winnacunnet, followed by games against Nashua South, Portsmouth and at Trinity, in a game, we will be covering.

8. Windham- What a great win on Tuesday night as all-state guard Jack St. Hilaire buried a three in the final seconds to beat Trinity 61-60. Different players seem to be stepping up on different nights for Chris Corey’s team, who is now on a three-game winning streak.

9. Winnacunnet- The Warriors looked much better on Tuesday night, a 67-61 win over Alvirne (Broncos freshman Garrett Hall is the real deal..he had 21 in the loss) with Tyson Khalil and Josh Schaake (16 points) back from injury. We’ll see Jay McKenna’s team tomorrow night when they host Dover.

10. Trinity- When Tyler Bike (28 points) is the only player in double figures in the 61-60 loss to Windham, that is an example of head coach Keith Bike’s concern in the pre-season. Can Tyler score 30 a night? Absolutely, but if he is, that likely means this team hasn't found its offensive identity. I still believe they’ll get there.

 

 Spotlight Team of the Week: Manchester Central

  All-state forward Mark Nyomah, a member of last season’s Trinity Pioneers championship team, left the team and the school to move to Arizona to further his basketball career. Head coach Sudi Lett was clear it was with the team's blessing as Nyomah looks to take a different path to play at the college level.

 Jason Gasona (19.2 ppg) has been very good for the Little Green, who will face Keene at home on Tuesday.

 

 

Division II Standings and Top 20 Scoring Leaders

 Thank you to our Gold Level Coaches!: Marty Edwards of Hollis Brookline, Mike Donnell of Pembroke Academy, Jim Cilley of Pembroke Academy, John Langlois of Manchester West, David Smith of Coe-Brown, Peter Pierce of Souhegan, Lewis Atkins of Oyster River, Joe Morin of Pelham, Kieth Matte of Lebanon and Steve McDonough of Laconia

 

1. Souhegan- The champs jumped on top of Con Val early and earned an eleven-point win on Tuesday night behind 23 points from all-state guard Matt Canavan. Shawn McCool and Madux McGrath, back from a shoulder injury sustained in the football championship game, also contributed to the win and give Peter Pierce the most frontcourt depth of any team in the state.

2. Pelham- What a terrific week for Joe Morin’s team. The Pythons are getting consistent scoring from Dom Herrling (16.0) and Zach James (15.3); Jake Cawthron might be the best defensive player in the division, and as a team, they are defending at a high level. Wins over Manchester West and Pembroke Academy prove this is a team more than capable of being the last team standing in March.

3. Laconia- The Sachems roll along behind the scoring of their all-state duo and improved perimeter defense. Guards Rowan Jones and Carson Tucker have been excellent at pressuring the ball and closing out on shooters for Steve McDonough’s team.

4. Pembroke Academy- The Spartans still have that final four look to them; Pelham is one of the toughest gyms to win at in the state…unless you’re the Pythons. Mike Donnell’s team is going to outscore most of the team's on their schedule. They're that good. To win a title, though, they’re going to have to commit to being a great man-to-man defensive team.

5. Manchester West- The Blue Knights lost to Pelham by a point and to Laconia by eight on opening night. They have a chance to string some wins together before they face Merrimack Valley on the 24th.

6. Merrimack Valley- They have a big one tomorrow night against Con Val. That win over Coe Brown in December, in a game we covered, looks good on the resume, as the Bears haven’t lost since.

7. Con Val- The Cougars offense was shut down by the Sabers on Tuesday night, and they struggled to keep the champs off the glass. A bounce-back win over MV would be a great way to cap the week for Jason Starr’s Cougars.

8. Coe Brown- Guard Connor Bagnell has averaged 18 points per game in the three games since the holiday break. Next up is a trip out to Lebanon.

9. Milford- The 4-1 Spartans are the surprise story of the division and kept it rolling Tuesday night with a 60-42 win over Hollis-Brookline behind 21 points from floor general Chuck Urda and 15 from Brady Hansen.

10. Bow-  The Falcons should have point guard Brendan O’Keefe back in the lineup soon and will face Milford tomorrow night on the road.

 

Spotlight Team of the Week:  Sanborn

 Bob Ficker’s team will be dangerous all season because, with their up-tempo style of play, they can score in a hurry, and when they’re making shots as they did in a ten-point win over Oyster River and a two-point loss to undefeated Pelham, they’re a nightmare to deal with.

 Chase Frizzell has emerged as an all-state guard for the Indians, averaging 20.8 points per game.

 

Division III

Division III Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Tom Bourdeau of Prospect Mountain, Eric Saucier of Conant, Dave Morissette of St Thomas, Rick Acquilano of Gilford, Jim Hill of Monadnock, Leon Shaw of Somersworth, Ray Curren of Stevens, Tony Martinez of Belmont, Nate Camp of Kearsarge and Justin DiBenedetto of Campbell

 

1. Gilford- I came away from Tuesday night’s 61-58 win over Belmont with an even greater appreciation for Rick Acquilano’s team. They remain my pick to win the title, but they miss Riley Marsh and Austin Normandin from last year’s team. Both players brought an attitude and swagger that you’re not going to find with this year’s team, but this is a team who will grind you out, make plays and get stops when they have to. Brendan Baldi is doing a nice job at point guard, Logan Grant is very good defensively on the perimeter and never afraid of the moment, and Sam Cheek will round into form in the coming weeks. The Golden Eagles aren’t deep, but brothers Jalen & Isaiah Reese have been terrific, and their chemistry won them the game against a very talented Belmont team. These kids have what one coach called ‘winning DNA,’ and Acquilano, his assistants, and those kids deserve a lot of credit for winning every night with the biggest target in the division on their back.

2. St Thomas- I’ll be in Belmont on the 28th when the Saints come to town. People are now getting an up-close look at how good freshman AJ Reinertson (12th in the division at 15.3 ppg) is. They’ll face a tough test tonight at Campbell.

3. Hopkinton-  We get our first look at the Hawks tonight when they square off with Monadnock. Marek Joppa has been immense for the Hawks, averaging 23.2 points per game in his last four contests. A battle with top-ranked Gilford is looming next week.

4. Winnisquam- We will get our first look at the Bears next week when I travel to Tilton to cover them against Somersworth. Anthony Boomer helped avoid an upset with 22 points in a Tuesday night win over Prospect Mountain.

5. Belmont- I came away very impressed by Tony Martinez’s Red Raiders, who had their chances late to knock off Gilford. Point guard Treshawn Ray gives them a point guard who can break down defenses and handle pressure, while Jamison Gaudette was terrific, playing like a poised senior and contributing in a lot of ways that don’t show up in the box score. Gilford didn't have an answer for Keegan Martinez (17 points) on the glass, Anakin Underhill kept them in it in the second quarter, and Sam Reposa gives them a deep threat to spread the defense. This is a team capable of winning the championship in March.

6. Campbell- Justin Dibenedetto’s team earned a 44-36 win over Conant on Monday night. This is a team capable of being very good defensively.

7. Conant- The Orioles have a chance to string a few wins together before a trip to Gilford next Friday night.

8. Mascoma- This team reminds me of Trinity and their situation. Zach Thompson is capable of scoring 30 points a night, but head coach Silas Ayers knows that if the Royals are the best version of themselves, he shouldn’t have to. 

9. Stevens- The Cardinals earned a very good win over Monadnock on Tuesday night behind 14 points from Hunter LaRocque and 11 from Devante Thompson.

10. Somersworth- The Hilltoppers have the talent to outscore most teams on their schedule, but they’ve been unable to stop the elite teams in the division. They’ll get a good test next Tuesday when we cover them at Winnisquam.

 

 Spotlight Team of the Week:  Newport

 The Tigers are much improved under head coach Rob Clark and behind the play of all-state guard Kayden LaClair (20.2 ppg).

 They’ve competed against Top 10 teams, and their schedule is going to be an asset in their quest to get back to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

 The Tigers play winless Hillsborough Deering twice, face Division IV Sunapee (1-6) again, and have games against Newfound (1-5) and Division IV Hinsdale.

 If they win those games, they’re very likely to qualify for the tournament. 

 

 Division IV

 Division IV Standings and Scoring Leaders

 Gold Level Coaches/Programs: David Bedard of Franklin, Nick Fiset of Epping, Tom Hogan of Mount Royal, Jamie Walker of Woodsville, Mark Collins of Groveton, Carl Anderson of Hinsdale, Mitchell Roy of Profile, Ryan Kelley of Mascenic Regional. Eric Hurlbert of Pittsburg Canaan, Matt Manning of Lin Wood, Dave Morrissette of Gorham, and Jay Darrah of Pittsfield

1. Concord Christian- A pair of close wins for the pre-season favorite over Holy Family 67-63 (in a game we covered) and 75-70 over Portsmouth Christian (I told you last week, PCA is getting better quickly). The coaches and I have a watch list for the underclassman and senior teams, and Brode Frink is on that list.

2. Littleton- I’ll be in Bethlehem (no, not that one) next Friday night when Trevor Howard and the Crusaders roll into Profile high school. They’ll face an improving Epping team tomorrow night at home.

3. Holy Family- Sean Peterson, known to me in the fall as ‘ I heard Holy Family has a 6’8 center coming in!’ has become a big factor for Keith Lacasse’s team, averaging 17 points per game in his last three contests.

4. Woodsville- The Engineers had a great week, earning a pair of 12-point wins over Profile and Lin Wood. Freshman Ryan Walker had his breakout game against Lin Wood, scoring 17 points. They still have some big road tests at Littleton, Profile, Colebrook, and Groveton,  but they’ve proven they are once again good enough to be the last team standing.

5. Profile- Expect a high-scoring game against PCA tomorrow night. The Patriots are going to start seeing different looks defensively, and you can expect Josh Robie (30.3) and company to make the necessary adjustments.

6. Derryfield- Here comes the stretch we talked about last week. It should only help Ed Meade’s team to play what might be the toughest schedule in the entire division.

7. Farmington- When this team pounds the ball down to Jordan Berko (14.9) on the block, it opens up the perimeter for shooters like Aiden Place and Brian Boisvert. It’ll be interesting to see if Epping can hang with them next Tuesday night.

8. Groveton- The Eagles lost their first game of the season Tuesday night, 45-42 to White Mountains. Aiden Whiting and Kaden Cloutier each had 10 points in the loss. Mark Collins’ team faces Newmarket tomorrow night.

9. Lin Wood- A few years back, I labeled Colebrook the team that beats the teams they should and loses to the teams you’d expect them to. No one loves that title, and I’m not saying any team in the division will qualify for it this season,,, but Lin Wood is on the radar to be that team.

10. Colebrook- This team is playing hard for Ryan Call and competing every night. Kolten Dowse has emerged as one of the best scorers in the division, averaging 29 points in his last two contests.

 

 Spotlight Team of the Week: Pittsfield

 Jay Darrah is once again demonstrating why he is one of the best coaches in the division, as he has his Panthers at 3-1.

 With two games against Wilton Lyndeborough and Mount Royal on the schedule and games against Nute and Lisbon, Pittsfield is going to have a very good shot at earning a playoff berth in March.