Every year, we stop and take a look at all four divisions at the mid-way point. For Divisions III & IV, we are just past the nine-game mark. For Divisions I & II, we are closing in on it this week.

 As we choose our favorites to reach the final four, the question is: how important is a top-4 seed and homecourt advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs?

 The numbers show that the advantage of owning a homecourt in the quarterfinal round is actually pretty significant.

 Over the past two seasons, the home team has gone 27-5 in the quarterfinal round.

 The breakdown; 8-0 in Division I, 6-2 in Division II, 6-2 in Division III, and 7-1 in Division IV.

 So ‘the race for a top-four -seed’ that you’ll hear and read about frequently over the next three to four weeks is a pretty sizeable advantage.

 Let’s take a look at all four divisions, make our all-state selections at the mid-way point, and the leaders in the clubhouse for player and coach of the year honors.

 And a quick note on all-state....winning games matters.

 Our column today is brought to you by our partners at Core Physicians, which has over twenty-five locations on the seacoast and a beautiful facility in Plaistow.

 We want to thank the families recently joining our players' locker room, as well as head coaches Ray Boulay of Keene, Jay McKenna of Winnacunnet, Trevor Howard of Littleton, and official Barry Hammer for their support!

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 Division I

 Division I Standings. Scoring Leaders and Gold Level coaches

 Gold Level Supporters/Coaches: Jaryd Piecuch of Londonderry, Matt Fennessy of Dover, Ryan Cowette of Goffstown, Mike Dunham of Pinkerton, Rob McLaughlin of Salem, Jeff Holmes of Exeter, Jeff Baumann of Timberlane, Leo Gershgorin of Alvirne, Ray Boulay of Keene and Jay McKenna of Winnacunnet

 If forced to pick the four teams that will be in the final four today…: Pinkerton Academy, Bedford, Nashua South, and Portsmouth

 The common theme in text exchanges with head coaches in the division has been ‘wait…(higher ranked team) lost to (lower ranked team)??’ but even those messages are starting to fade out. 

 Coaches are coming to the realization that outside of the top two teams, and there is no debate on who those two teams are, anyone can be beaten on any given night. 

 Even those teams have flaws; they just have greater strengths than other teams in the division.

 Bedford is a team you can try to bully in the paint; they have great athletes but not a ton of size.

 Pinkerton’s 88.2 points per game are the most of any Division I team over the last ten seasons, so finding a weakness is pretty difficult, but you can score on them. 

 You can stay with the Astros if you have guards who can get into the paint and knock down shots.

 Those are the perceived weaknesses of the best two teams in the state.

 The strengths are that Frank Moreno’s Bulldogs are relentless in their ability to pressure you and force you into their pace. They also know how to win, as their last loss came on January 6th of last year.

 They have as good a pure scorer as there is in the state in Luke Soden (26.8) and a closer in Brady O’Connell (14.8) lined up next to him.

 Pinkerton has the most dominant player in the state in 6’8 Jackson Marshall, whose 41 points on Tuesday against Salem only slightly increased his state-leading scoring average to 35.9 ppg.

 Cristian Brander and Charlie Ludden give Mike Dunham shooting and defense, while Drew Brander is as good an athlete as anyone on the floor.

 When they play in two weeks, neither team is going to slow it down, and no twelve-point lead will be safe.

 I’m going with Nashua South because guard play has won an awful lot of tournament games, and in Josh Caruso (27.5) and Zac Castonguay (19.9), Nate Mazerolle has a pair of guards who can take over a close game late. 

 They also have a coach who has gotten his team there as recently as last March.

 I’ll go with the Portsmouth Clippers in the fourth spot, but two factors give me pause.

 One is their schedule is about to get a lot more difficult.

 As I write this on Wednesday afternoon, they will face Bedford tonight, followed by Exeter at home and road games at Windham, Spaulding, and Goffstown, a game we plan to cover.

 Second, it feels like Tyrece Gibbs’ team might be a year away, but with sophomores Isaiah Reis (12.5), Ryan Swartz (12.4), and senior Miles de Iongh (11.9) leading the way, they have a chance for a pair of tournament games at Stone gymnasium, and that’s not a place where the Clippers lose very often.

 Windham has the size (Jack Begley is a bruiser and had a season-high 29 against Timberlane on Tuesday) and a point guard who can manage the game late in Jack Koutrobis (13.9).

 They will need to knock down shots from the perimeter to win two playoff games. Their ability to rebound, defend, and take care of the ball makes them a contender in Carson Desrosiers's first season as head coach. 

 Can Trinity rebound well enough to get to the final four for the third time in four seasons? I’m not sure, but I do know that they shoot the ball very well, and Ray Farmer has them playing hard.

 No one is counting Nashua North out, and that’s a team no one wants on their side of the bracket (trust me, even Pinkerton and Bedford want to avoid that quarterfinal match-up). 

 The Titans have not put it all together yet, but Steve Lane is a terrific coach, and Parth Miglani has always played his best in the biggest games.

 

 The Sleeper Team that could crash the final four party: Salem

 Their offense has been spotty, but they always play hard and defend under Rob McLaughlin.

 Ryan Morse, who scored 26 against Pinkerton on Tuesday night..a game Salem was in until five minutes to go, is a capable scorer, and Cayden DeLeon, Felix Gonzalez & Brock James are all capable of giving teams fits with their ability to pressure the ball and get to the rim. 

 Also, do not sleep on...: Keene and Manchester Memorial.

 

(Mid-Season) Player of the Year: Jackson Marshall of Pinkerton Academy

(Mid-Season) Coach of the Year: Danny Bryson of Manchester Memorial

 

 Mid-season First Team All-State

 Jackson Marshall of Pinkerton

 Luke Soden of Bedford

 Josh Caruso of Nashua South

 Zac Castonguay of Nashua South

 Bory Bory of Manchester Memorial

 

 Second Team

 Ryan Morse of Salem

 Brady O’Connell of Bedford

 Parth Miglani of Nashua North

 Cristian Brander of Pinkerton

 Jack Koutrobis of Windham

 

 Division II

 Division II Standings, Scoring Leaders, and Gold Level Coaches

 Gold Level Coaches: Peter Pierce of Souhegan, David Smith of Coe-Brown, Joe Morin of Pelham, Mike Donnell of Pembroke, Ryan Kelley of Hollis-Brookline, Rich Otis of Manchester West, Ben Davis of Hanover, Joe Faragher of Kingswood, Steve McDonough of Laconia and Don Gutterson of Milford

 If forced to pick the four teams that will be in the final four today…: Hanover, Pelham, Pembroke Academy and Manchester West

 Let’s start with Hanover…

 Ben Davis’s team is winning with their ability to defend and take care of the basketball. As we said on the podcast, this isn’t some variation of the old-school Amoeba defense or a zone designed to trick and confuse you.

 Hanover plays straight man to man and has four defenders (Christian Blix, Ryan McLaughlin, David Frechette, and Roy Lucas) who can guard multiple positions and switch on any screens. 

 They also have a big man in Jaysen Oriol who can hedge on screens and protect the paint. They play terrific help defense, and the common theme you hear from opposing coaches is, ‘They just made far fewer mistakes than we did.’

 When you explain their strengths, it sounds pretty simple, but it’s actually very difficult to execute. 

 You need buy-in from all five guys, and Davis has it. They remind me of some of Tim Goodridge’s great teams at Merrimack, where it was known it doesn't matter how well you can shoot; if you can't defend, you’re not getting on the court.

 Pelham all-state shooting guard Zach James is twenty-three points away from hitting the 1,000-point mark for his career. His evolution from a good shooter to a great shooter last March was a huge factor in Joe Morin’s team winning the title.

 Dom Herrling (13.8) is a foxhole guy; he’s going to be a huge factor again when we get to the one-and-done phase in four weeks. 

 Logan Dumont has played well, as has Peter Hemmerdinger, who made big plays during last year’s championship run, and Brady Hegan. 

 The questions with Pelham are: do they have enough depth if Herrling or James get into foul trouble? Can a bigger, more physical team control the glass against them, and can they flip the switch again in March?

 Hanover is the best team today and a true title contender, but Pelham is still the team to beat. Someone is going to have to go through them to be the last team standing.

 Pembroke Academy has been very consistent all season long, which is a credit to Mike Donnell, as the Spartans had to replace four starters from last year's runner-up team.

 They boast the #3 offense in the division (behind Pelham and Sanborn) and good wins over Pelham and Bow.

 It’s always been easy to label Pembroke as the team that’s just going to try to outscore you, but they have proven they can get stops in big moments. Joe Fitzgerald is underrated as a defender, and Javien Sinclair has given them rebounding and defense on the block.

 The line amongst coaches when it comes to Manchester West has always been, don't tell me how they look in December; tell me how they look in February. 

 Injuries, roster turnover, and team chemistry have played a part in that label over the years, and head coach Rich Otis knows and understands it. 

 He’s working to keep one of the best teams in the division on the same page, and if they are healthy down the stretch, there isn't a team they can't beat on the big stage.

 Max Shosa leads the division at 27.0 points per game and has stepped up into a leadership role for the Blue Knights along with Tevin Edmunds and Will Tanuvasa.

 Coe-Brown, Laconia, and Bow are all in the mix…in that order..but as we broke down above, home-court teams have won 84% of the time in the quarterfinals, and the four top seeds have one loss between them all (Hanover over Pembroke) on their home floor this season. 

 

 The Sleeper Team that could crash the final four party: Merrimack Valley

 They’re scuffling right now, having lost to Lebanon and John Stark in the last ten days, but when Aiden Gray (16.1) is healthy they have just enough scoring to slooooooooow the game down and knock off a higher seed.

 Tim Mucher has won a lot of big playoff games at the Valley, and if you think he is worried about style points, you’ve never watched them grind out a 35-32 win.

 Also, do not sleep on...: Oyster River and Plymouth.

 

 (Mid-Season) Co-Players of the Year: Joe Fitzgerald of Pembroke and Max Shosa of Manchester West

 (Mid-Season) Coach of the Year: Ben Davis of Hanover (with Ben Cronin of Plymouth a strong second) 

 

 Mid-season First Team All-State

 Joe Fitzgerald of Pembroke Academy

 Max Shosa of Manchester West

 Keaton Beck of Laconia

 Zach James of Pelham

 Jake Reardon of Bow

 

 Second Team

 Dom Herrling of Pelham

 Ryan McLaughlin of Hanover 

 Connor Bagnell of Coe Brown

 Jaysen Oriol of Hanover

 Dylan Rego of Sanborn

 

 Division III

 Division III Standings, Scoring Leaders, and Gold Level Coaches

Gold Level Coaches/Supporters: Nate Camp of Kearsarge, Justin Dibenedetto of Campbell, Jim Hill of Monadnock, Tony Martinez of Belmont, Rick Acquilano of Gilford, Eric Saucier of Conant, David Morissette of St Thomas, Jim Gallagher of Raymond, Matt Dancosee of Stevens and Matt Miller of Hopkinton.

 

 If forced to pick the four teams that will be in the final four today…: Conant, St Thomas. Mascoma and Kearsarge

 If there is a division that sticks to the script, it’s very likely going to be Division III. There isn’t another division where homecourt will be more important.

 Conant was the pre-season #1, and since that time, they’ve won road games at St Thomas, Mascoma, Gilford, and Hopkinton.

 Eric Saucier’s team doesn’t boast a dynamic offense (they average 50.9), but they don't need to in order to win it all. 

 The Orioles have the best defense in the division, allowing 36.1 points per game, and have held both St Thomas and Mascoma, two teams that average 59 points a game, to thirty-five and thirty-six, respectively. 

 Four starters average at least eight points a game, and point guard Manny Hodgsdon, whose older brothers Ezra and Eli both won titles under Saucier, is a three-year starter.

 Dave Morissette’s St Thomas Saints boast two of the best players in the division in senior Will Mollica (13.4) and freshman guard Cole McClure, who leads the team in scoring at 16.5 ppg.

 Carson Couperthwait had his all-glue guy team application accepted all the way back to our jamboree. James Allen is a smart player who can knock down threes, and Anthony Settineri is another good shooter and an underrated defender.

 With a tough test from Derryfield (a 62-48 victory) behind them, the Saints will be favored in every game the rest of the way, with their toughest test coming in the season finale at Hopkinton.

 That means someone will likely have to travel to Dover to keep the Saints from their third final four trip in five years. 

 Mascoma’s 68-48 win at Kearsarge back on December 18th was impressive at the time and looks even better now as Nate Camp’s Cougars are fighting for a Top 4 seed with an 9-3 record.

 It’s also the only win the Royals have this season against a team with a plus .500 record.

 Head coach Silas Ayres is well aware, and he worried last season that his team would not be battled tested enough once they advanced to the semifinal round.

 A 62-49 wire-to-wire victory over St Thomas showed Ayres that his team wasn’t impacted by the lack of contenders on the Royals' schedule, but the same concerns have to be lingering this season.

 This is a very good basketball team. Brayden Pierce (14.3) has emerged as a knockdown shooter, Tanner Moulton (12.5) delivers on both ends of the floor, and both James Thomas & Aiden Smith are capable of coming up big once the Royals hit the big stage.

 TJ Mardin is an all-glue guy veteran who rebounds, defends, and can knock down shots, while Ayres has become one of the best coaches in the division. 

 Mascoma is a very difficult place to get a win, and with a top-three seed nearly assured, expect to see the Royals back in the final four.

 Once we get to the final four on a neutral floor, any of the three could be the last team standing.

 So, who is most likely to join them there?

 I’ll go with Kearsarge over Hopkinton & Gilford for the final spot.

 Nate Camp’s Kearsarge Cougars have been the surprise team in the division behind all-state guard Noah Whipple (17.6). They have a game left against Gilford, plus trips to Conant and Raymond.

 The Cougars earned a 55-45 win over the defending champs on Tuesday night behind 27 points from Noah Whipple.

 Camps' team has gotten contributions from Austin Needham, Parker Goin, Eddie Kinzer, Drew Huff, and Ajay Tremblay, as they have won six in a row since a one-point loss to Hopkinton.

 Gilford has struggled in January, going 2-4 after a 4-0 start, but still has a chance at a pair of home games.

 The Golden Eagles still have to go to Conant and face Kearsarge and Belmont, two teams that beat them the first time around so it won't be easy, but their schedule the rest of the way is not as difficult as Hopkinton’s.

 Matt Miller’s Hawks, who have won seven in a row, including a 51-46 win over Gilford, still have to face Campbell (we will be covering that one), and then close the season with a road trip to Mascoma and then St Thomas at home on senior night.

 Going with the team, most likely to end up at four…I’ll go with the Cougars.

 

 The Sleeper Team that could crash the final four party: Campbell

 The Cougars have the balanced scoring (Jack Breton, Logan Rice, and Austin McHugh average a combined 36.2 points per game) and guard play (Jashawn Hawkins is underrated) to knock off a higher seed on the road.

Also, do not sleep on...: White Mountains and Belmont.

 

 (Mid-Season) Player of the Year: Noah Whipple of Kearsarge

 (Mid-Season) Co-Coaches of the Year: Eric Saucier of Conant and Nate Camp of Kearsarge 

 

 Mid-season First Team All-State

 Noah Whipple of Kearsarge

 Drezell Duffaut of Raymond

 Will Mollica of St Thomas

 Cole McClure of St Thomas

 Brayden Pierce of Mascoma

 

 Second Team

 Jared Nagle of Conant

 Jordan Nagle of Conant

 Tanner Moulton of Mascoma

 Manny Hogdson of Conant

 Keegan Martinez of Belmont

 

 Division IV

 Division IV Standings, Scoring Leaders, and Gold Level Coaches

 Gold Level Coaches/Supporters: Jamie Walker of Woodsville, Jay Darrah of Pittsfield, David Bedard of Franklin, Mark Collins of Groveton, Nick Tzannos of Mascenic, Greg Farland of Concord Christian, Mitchell Roy of Profile, Matt Manning of Lin Wood, Josiah Riley of Pittsburg Canaan and Trevor Howard of Littleton.

 If forced to pick the four teams that will be in the final four today…: Profile, Littleton, Derryfield and Woodsville

 These were the top four teams in the November 28th pre-season preview; nothing that has transpired since has changed that opinion.

 Other than the order of the teams…

 The Profile Patriots, based on two double-digit wins over Woodsville (Box score: Profile 61, Woodsville 51) and Littleton ((Box score: Profile 63, Littleton 48) are the team to beat.

 It was with a bit of fascination and perplexity that we heard about Profile’s travel from one summer league to another, weekend tournaments, and inter-division scrimmages throughout the summer months, almost like a college buddy who was updating his trek along the Appalachian trail on social media.

 If you were a good basketball team looking for a game, Mitchell Roy and his team would make the drive. All so they could get over the hump this season.

 The results have been resounding. Josh Robie is again leading the division in scoring at 25.2 points per game, Alex Leslie (20.1) is the best forward in the division, Cayden Wakeham, Jackson Clough, and Karsen Robie understand and accept their roles, and the defense, while not elite, has improved.

 A 67-48 win at Campbell on Monday night solidified Mitchell Roy’s team as the most fascinating road show in the state this season and only punctuated the fact that they are not going out without a hell of a fight. 

 There is a big difference between thinking you can and knowing you can. Profile knows they can beat Woodsville, the three-time defending champions, and Littleton. 

 Just as significantly, those two teams now know they can lose to Profile on the biggest stage.

 Jamie Walker’s team is just as good offensively as they were a year ago; Connor Newcomb (13.4) has been a welcome addition and a steady scorer for the Engineers, while Ryan Walker has begun to evolve into the all-state point guard we expect he’ll be.

 Landon Kingsbury (15.1) gives them scoring, while Jack Boudreault and Connor Houston give them a little bit of everything. A year ago, those two got hot and shot Profile out of the gym in the quarterfinals. 

 Neither has found that rhythm yet, but the belief here and up in the north Country is that Woodsville is assessing their weaknesses and poised to turn the corner. 

 The Littleton team I watched two weeks ago at Farmington had all the pieces to be the last team standing and the swagger to go with it.  They walked into the gym that night knowing they were going to win and went out and proved it.

 Kayden Hoskins (21.9) is one of the best shooters in the division, Dre Akines can control the pace of the game with his ability to push the ball up the floor and pressure it for 90 feet at the other end and freshman Mike Rodriguez, while still developing his game, is one of the most exciting players in the division already.

 Add to that a future Hall of Fame head coach in Trevor Howard and a wealth of tournament experience, and you have a Crusaders team likely to be back in the final four for the fourteenth time in sixteen seasons—the most appearances of any program in the state.

 Seven days later, they got knocked back off their feet on their home floor.

 Expect both coaches to adjust the second time around (Profile at Woodsville and Littleton at Profile), and no one is dumb enough to write an obituary for either team. They’ll be there again in the end.

 Derryfield and Holy Family have emerged as the two best teams from the south, with Portsmouth Christian trailing close behind.

 Jack Krasnof (18.2) is scoring less and doing it for the sake of the team. Alex Comire (11.7) and Zach Martin (10.5 since he has come back from an injury) have been consistent scorers, as has Alex Drake at eight points a game.

 Last season, Krasnof was the only player on Ed Meade’s team to average double figures, and it became obvious by the end of the season that if he wasn't getting 25 points, the Cougars weren’t winning.

 That’s no longer the case.

 Gabe Lacasse (20.6) has shaken off an injury from soccer season and has been as good as any player in the division this season for Holy Family. The Griffins have rebounding, depth, and a closer in close games.

 Their game tonight against Derryfield (we’ll be there) will tell you if the best team from the south is clearly defined.

 

 The Sleeper Team that could crash the final four party: Gorham

 Lance Legere’s alma mater is the team you want to see lined up on the other side of the bracket. I can tell you right now there isn't a team mentioned above that wants to see them coming in for the quarterfinal round.

 Isaac Langlois (21.2), who has scored 36 points in two separate games this season and went for 29 in a 60-56 first-round loss to Littleton last season, will not shy away from the moment. His ability to score in bunches, along with the improved play of Brendan Saladino (14.2) & Max Grondin (9.2), makes them a team that is poised for a strong finish.

 Add to the fact that the return of guard Kody Lemieux, who scored eighth points in a Monday night win over Groveton, only makes this a better basketball team under first-year head coach Dylan Haynes.

 Watch out for the Huskies….

 Also, do not sleep on...: Colebrook and Pittsburg Canaan

 

 (Mid-Season) Player of the Year: Josh Robie of Profile

 (Mid-Season) Coach of the Year: Mitchell Roy of Profile

 

 Mid-season First Team All-State

 Josh Robie of Profile

 Gabe Lacasse of Holy Family

 Jack Krasnof of Derryfield

 Kayden Hoskins of Littleton

 Alex Leslie of Profile

 

 Second Team

 Kolten Dowse of Colebrook

 Isaac Langlois of Gorham

 Connor Hickey of Portsmouth Christian

 Zeke McCoy of Franklin

 Landon Kingsbury of Woodsville