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The 2023 NHsportspage Basketball Jamboree Preview

By NHsportspage Staff, 11/27/23, 6:15AM EST

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Luke Soden and defending champion Bedford will face Division II Champ Pelham (photo by Cindy Lavigne)

 On Saturday, December 2nd, New Hampshire Sportspage will hold our 10th annual pre-season basketball jamboree at Londonderry High School.

 Each game will be a regulation 32-minute game with three officials and player introductions/ PA announcing throughout the contest.

 The Londonderry Booster Club will have the food/concessions open all day.

 Top plays for our 2013 first-ever jamboree

 2015 NHsportspage Jamboree highlights

 2016 NHsportspage Jamoboree highlights

 

 Admission is $5 and good for all day.
 

 Our Jamboree Schedule:

11 am:  Concord vs. Hanover (girls)

 The Concord Crimson Tide and Hanover both were quarterfinal teams in their respective divisions a year ago.

 Delaney Duford, Whitney Vaillant, and Aidah Smalley return as main scoring options for Concord with Sofia Payne providing a good low post presence. Head coach Rob Darrell has a lot to work with in year two with the Crimson Tide.

 With Stella Galanes going down with a season ending injury last year, it allowed the Dan O'Rourke's Hanover Bears the unique opportunity to mature and grow individually and collectively as a team.

 This athletic bunch returns eight experienced varsity players headlined by all-state guard Sydney McLaughlin.

 

12:30:   Alvirne vs. St Thomas (boys)

 The Alvirne Broncos look poised to climb up the Division I standings and will take on Division III semifinalist St Thomas in the day's second game.

 Four returning starters, Sam DeWitt, Andrew Harmen, Garrett Hall, and Evan Bettencourt are ready to lead Alvirne after an off-season of 50+ games against some of the best programs throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

 Key returners include Sean Chipfunde and Aiden Mills, and several new faces from one of the top JV teams in Division I. 

 Dave Morissette’s Saints are led by 6-4 Senior Will Mollica, a double-double machine last season, guard Anthony Settinerri, who played a key role last year, and Carson Couperthwait, a 6-4 big man, who will help solidify the Saints down low. 

 Senior transfer James Allen, a 6-1 guard from New York, will step in and contribute right away alongside Junior Finley Detolla and Sophomore Declan Healy.

 

 2:00:     Exeter vs. Conant  (boys)

 One of the premier Division I programs takes on one of the all-time Division III programs in the day's third game.

 The Blue Hawks graduated a pair of all-state players in Ryan Luper and Evan Pafford but should feature one of the biggest frontcourts in the state in 2024.

 Jeff Holmes’ team will be led by guard Nate McNeff, Dylan Whelan, Jack Cartwright and former St Thomas all-state performer Brady Rogers. An improved frontcourt will feature Nik Greco, Ryan Graney, 6’7 Jack Thibodeau, and 6’4 Billy Helliesen.

 Eric Saucier’s Orioles return all five starters from a team that took eventual champion Gilford to the buzzer in last year’s quarterfinals.

 The Orioles are led by Manny Hodgson, brothers Jared & Jordan Nagle, Lane LeClair, and Ben Sawyer.

 Conant, one of the favorites this season in Division III, returns every player from their 2022-23 roster.

 

 3:30:    Londonderry vs. Bedford (girls)

 Our afternoon matchup will feature two of the best teams in the state when Londonderry takes on Bedford

 The Lancers, as they always seem to do, went on the road in the first round and walked away victorious, making the quarterfinals for a second consecutive season.

 This young and up-and-coming team led by head coach Jon Doherty is headlined by all-state forward Sammantha Sullivan (a member of our NHsportspage underclasmen team), Brooke Eacrette, Kate Sloper, Reagan Anderson, Mia Giampa, and Talia Iorio.

 The Lancers core returns a year more experienced and are ready to take the next step this season.

 Freshman point guard Gemma Murray will add a level of playmaking and two-way play right away for the Lancers.

 Kevin Gibbs' Bulldogs have made four consecutive championship games and are primed for yet another run, with their eyes set on a title.

 All-state forwards Lana McCarthy and Kate Allard are joined by point guard Lyla Stein, Annie Zink, Devlyn McDonald, and Grace Wolf, who will all be key contributors.

 Two big additions will be Sarah and Megan Muir, who will join the rotation after winning consecutive championships at Concord Christian.

 Freshman Mel McCarthy will also see key minutes in the rotation for the Bulldogs.

 

 5:00:    Bedford vs. Pelham (boys)

 It is a match-up of two defending champions and likely pre-season #1’s in one of the marquee games of the day.

 Frank Moreno’s Bulldogs return the all-state duo of Luke Soden and Brady O’Connell, along with returning standouts Thomas Braga, Austin Kasyjanski, and Niko Badoian.

 Dylan Soden, Connor O’Rourke, Landon Ellsmore, and Logan O’Connell are all expected to step into bigger roles this season for the defending champions.

 Joe Morin’s Pelham Pythons will be led by their own all-state duo of Zach James and Dom Herrling, along with returning starter Peter Hemmerdinger.

 The Division II defending champions will also get immediate contributions from Jake Cuilla, Connor Travis, and Adrian Villanueva.

 

 6:30:    Nashua South vs. Pembroke Academy (boys)

 Nate Mazerolle’s Purple Panthers may feature the best backcourt in the state in senior point guard Zac Castonguay and junior shooting guard Josh Caruso, both members of the 2023 NHsportspage underclassman team.

 Forward Josh Tripp is also expected to step into a more significant role this season for the 2023 semifinalist.

 Mike Donnell’s Pembroke Academy Spartans make their fourth jamboree appearance after a run to the Division II championship game last March.

 They’ll be led by all-state guard Joe Fitzgerald, guard Evan Berkeley, Mason Gagne (who missed last season with an injury), Jacob Mather, Devin Riel, Javien Sinclair, and senior Zach Al-Shawafi.

 

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