It is that time of year. The playoffs, yes THE PLAYOFFS, are right around the corner. 

 Division III ends their regular season next Friday and the following Tuesday Division IV will wrap up their regular season the following Tuesday.

 We will have coverage of at least one game for every round kicking off with the Division III first round on February 13th.

 We are also happy to announce details for our NHSportspage Senior vs. Underclassmen game:

 Portsmouth coach Tim Hopley will coach our Senior team and be assisted by Clipper assistant coach Anne Haky

 Londonderry head coach Jon Doherty will coach our Underclassmen team and be assisted by Bishop Guertin head coach Olivia Orlando

 The doubleheader event with the boys' teams will be held on March 13th at Bedford High School

 The girls' game will tip off at 6 pm, and the boys' game will follow immediately afterward

 Rosters for all four teams will be announced on Wednesday, February 14th

 

 Today's column is brought to you by our friends and partners at MaxWay Performance!

 

 

Division I

Division I Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Kevin Gibbs of Bedford, Greg Cotreau of Manchester Memorial, Ricky Oliver of Salem, Scott Blake of Spaulding, Frank Girginis of Alvirne, Kaylene Rogers of Exeter, Steve Largy of Goffstown, Lani Buskey of Pinkerton, and Jimmy Flynn of Dover

1. Bedford: The Bulldogs made a statement with their 74-34 win over Londonderry. Lyla Stein's ability to control pace is a huge component for this group. Kate Allard looked like the best player on the floor for stretches of Friday's win as she continues to take her game to another level. Annie Zink's aggressiveness was another bright spot and something Bedford will rely on as the season goes on.

2. Pinkerton: The Astro's roll of dominance continues and a road trip to Windham Friday night will be another good test for a group that has looked very connected on both ends of the floor. A strong first quarter was the difference maker in a road win over Dover last Friday and getting four players scoring in double digits, including a season-high 19 points from Kaylee Dupuis shows you how many weapons this team has.

3. Londonderry: The Lancers showed their youth a bit on Friday, falling behind 17-0 early in their loss to Bedford. These types of games will help in the long run for a team with championship aspirations not just this year but for the next few. Mia Giampa showed how strong a shooter she can be off the bench and Molly Knight provided strong minutes down low.

4. Portsmouth: The Clippers have won two straight after dropping a nail-bitter to Bedford last Tuesday. Avery Romps is starting to find a groove and take games over, averaging 17.8 points over her last four contests.

5. Dover: The Green Wave showed a lot in their loss to Pinkerton last Friday. You take out the 17-8 first quarter and the Green Wave hung around with one of the best teams in the state. Lilly Nossiff is a mismatch problem in her own right and netted her second-highest scoring total of the season with 23 points. A Friday night showdown with Goffstown is a chance for this group to pick up a marquee win.

6. Goffstown: Wins haven't come easy as of late for Goffstown. It took a heroic 34-point performance from Maggie Sasso to escape a game with Trinity and the Grizzlies fell 12-3 early to Nashua South before winning that one 49-43 on Tuesday night. Dover will be a big task and how they defend Lilly Nossiff could be the deciding factor in that one.

7. Salem: The Blue Devils have dropped two straight and their offense has been held in check during this two-game skid. Nashua North has been a wild card team all year long so Salem will need to bring their A-game when they travel their Friday night. Look for Lillian George to have a big night in that contest.

8. Bishop Guertin: The Cardinals seem to be getting back on track as of late. Holly Dufoe's 16 points were the difference in their win over Salem and she has helped lead a very balanced BG offensive attack this season. Concord Christian this Friday is a big one in terms of seeding and confidence for this group.

9. Windham: The Jaguars hung around with Portsmouth on Tuesday, but an 18-2 4th quarter was the difference. They have the athleticism to play with a majority of teams, but their scoring down the stretch of games will be the biggest factor moving forward. Getting season-high performances from Kate Carboni (14 points) and Avery Steffanides (13 points) is a sign of good things to come.

10. Keene: The Blackbirds got back on track with a two point win over Alvirne on Tuesday night. Harper Zalaski posted back-to-back 20-plus point performances and has Keene within striking distance of a potential home playoff game.

 

Division II

Division II Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Dan O'Rourke of Hanover, Brian Gray of Sanborn, Larry Meader of Kennett, Bryan Wall of Oyster River, Bob McNutt of Merrimack Valley, and Rebecca Carlile of Concord Christian

1. Concord Christian: CCA passed their toughest season test so far with a 65-55 win over Pembroke. The first three quarters are as even as they come, but the Kingsmen found their stride late in the 4th to seal a 10-point win. Emma Smith and Lilli Carlile combined for 49 of the 65 and have Concord Christian as the favorites as we head towards the tournament.

2. Pembroke: Pembroke gave Concord Christian all they could handle on Tuesday night. Annelise Dexter and Kaitlin Arenella met the challenge, scoring 25 and 15 points respectively. Their offense didn't stagger too much against a team who has blown out most of their competition up to this point in time. Things won't get any easier with Bow and Oyster River coming to two town for their next two games. 

3. Laconia: The Sachems have rattled off nine straight wins and have been dominant over this stretch. The length of this group defensively and the scoring emergence of Maddy Mousseau has kept Laconia right in the mix of Division II contenders.

4. John Stark: John Stark is a team on a mission. It was a gutsy win over the Bow Falcons last Thursday and several players impacted that one. When outside shots are falling, this team is a tough out. They can also rely on Eleanor Giradet to get a bucket down low when times get tough as well. The Generals have momentum heading into this final stretch.

5. Bow: The injury to Sidney Roberge was evident in the Falcons 50-44 loss to John Stark last Thursday. It will take more of a team effort to defend and rebound at a high level from night to night. Kendall Murray and Kate McGovern will be essential going forward and will need to stay out of foul trouble. The Falcons get a rematch with Pembroke on Friday night and showed back in early January they have the pieces to contain this high-octane offense.

6. Hanover: It was a much-needed playoff-type win for Hanover on Tuesday night with a 16-6 fourth quarter to seal a 50-41 win over Oyster River. When this team takes care of the basketball, they can compete with most anyone. They can also compete with anyone when Sydney McLaughlin is erupting for 27 points. The Bears will use this as fuel to try and stay in the top four mix.

7. Oyster River: The Bobcats ran into a motivated Hanover team on Tuesday night, scoring just 41 points after 69 and 63-point games in back-to-back contests the week prior. The biggest thing Oyster River will need to do before the playoffs is win one of these low-scoring games and rely on their defense to get them out of these holes.

8. Pelham: A strong second half propelled the Pythons to a 46-40 win over Merrimack Valley, marking their third in a row. Defensively is where this group can thrive, and in turn that leads to them sharing the wealth on offense. This isn't the flashiest of teams, but they are very sound and do the simple things to win these games, always hanging around giving themselves a chance late.

9. Derryfield: The Cougars have dropped two straight but have stuck around with the likes of Oyster River and Laconia. Milford comes to town, a team likes to pressure you, so taking care of the ball and finding their offensive punch with Bre McCabe and Tia Ferdinando will be the biggest tasks heading into Friday night's game.

10. Milford: Elianna Nassy, Shea Hansen, and Avery Fuller have all stepped up in the absence of LuLu Maguire, helping keep the Spartans in the playoff mix. This group is in need of a marquee win, and have the chance to do so with a strong defensive gameplan heading into Derryfield on Friday night,

 

Division III

Division III Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Kevin Giannino of St. Thomas Aquinas, Ed Tenney of Kearsarge, Scott Currier of Gilford, Don Picard of Berlin, and Mike Mahoney of Hopkinton

1. Hopkinton: The Hawks return to the top spot as their grueling schedule has them sitting at 11-1. It seems that this team has found different ways to win each night out. Whether it is using their size inside to dictate the outcome of a game or using their defense to create looks in transition, this team has had a number of different scenarios they have endured this year and still have found ways to win games down the stretch.

2. St. Thomas Aquinas: The mix of size and wing scoring this group possesses is going to make them an interesting matchup for anyone come playoff time. They travel to Prospect Mountain tonight in what should be a high-scoring contest.

3. Winnisquam: The undefeated run has come to an end as the Bears suffered an overtime loss to White Mountains on Saturday, lost 58-44 to Kearsarge on Monday, and fell to Fall Mountain Wednesday night. Losing Victoria Kelly for the season certainly isn't the news this group was hoping to receive at this time of the year, but Caidyn Carter and Lauren MacDonald can score with the best of them in Division III. Closing out the year with a team like Stevens should help this group prep for what they hope to be a long playoff run.

4. Gilford: The Golden Eagles have won four straight games, and almost all four have been in gutsy fashion. Whether at home or on the road, Scott Currier's team has found ways to win. They will get to see Kearsarge again tonight at home in what should be one of the better games this season. Ryan Guyer has been on a tear as of late and is getting the Gilford offense clicking at just the right time.

5. Kearsarge: Tessa Marinello is averaging 24.7 ppg over her last three contests, including a 28-point performance in the win over Winnsiquam. Her dominant play should have the Cougars feeling good going on the road to Dave Haley's alma mater.

6. Conant: With how tight things are atop the division, the Orioles are still technically in the mix for a top-four seed. They have certainly played like one as of late.

7. Monadnock: The Huskies completed a season sweep of Stevens on Tuesday with a 41-31 win at home. Shaylee Branon scored a season-best 19 points and has scored in double figures the last six games. They will get the weekend to prep for Kearsarge in what could be a playoff preview.

8. Stevens: Stevens has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride through the month of January. The schedule has done them no favors and the difficult games continue with Kearsarge on Friday, a team they beat on the road back on 1/17. This is a team no one will want to see in the playoffs as a lower seed.

9. Prospect Mountain: The Timberwolves held a first-half lead against Gilford but lost control late in the fourth quarter. Sophia Capsalis has been scoring the basketball efficiently this season, and that will need to continue against St. Thomas this Friday. This team has won the games they are supposed to but could use a win over a top-four seed like the Saints. If things click and the offense remains consistent for four quarters this could be a huge boost as the race to the playoffs is nearing a close.

10. White Mountains: The Spartans picked up their best win of the season on Saturday morning with a 51-46 overtime victory over Winnisquam. Olivia Lorenz is averaging 16.5 points over her last two games and has been a welcomed offensive boost for the Spartans. A loss to Groveton on Tuesday halted momentum a bit, but White Mountains has started to find their identity over the last few weeks.

 

Division IV 

Division IV Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Derek Tremblay of Mount Royal, Joseph Williams of Holy Family, Meghan Averill of Newmarket, Tim Haskins of Groveton, Dale Prior of Littleton, and Duane Call of Colebrook

1. Littleton: When outside shots are falling, it is going to be pretty tough to beat this Littleton team, especially if they turn you over at a high rate. Five players scored in double figures in the 71-51 win over Colebrook, including Leah Poulton's season-high 12 points, just goes to show how deep this team is.

2. Groveton: Arch-rival Colebrook comes to town on Friday night in what always proves to be a good game. The Eagles scored their second-most points of the season with 71 the last time these two met, so we will see if the pace remains the same on a bit bigger of a court.

3. Woodsville: The Engineers and the Eagles both battled injuries and sickness in the 30-28 Woodsville loss on Saturday night. Paige Royer didn't make the trip for that one so getting her back in the lineup is priority number one a rivalry game against Littleton up next on the schedule. If they can take care of the basketball against the Crusaders and get scoring outside of Royer and Makayla Walker they have a chance to hang around with the top-seeded Crusaders.

4. Newmarket: The Mule defense has held opponents to just 16.5 points during their four-game winning streak. A rematch with Mascenic, the team who stunned them opening night, will take place tonight as Newmarket looks to lock up a top-four seed.

5. Farmington: Eighth grader Shaylee DiPrizio scored a season-high 26 points in a 68-54 win over PCA that keeps the Tigers in contention for a top-four seed. The deciding game will come against Newmarket next Tuesday, a team they beat 37-33 back on 1/10. Farmington can have a number of players go off for double figures, making them a real threat come postseason time.

6. Profile: Evie Burger eclipsed a season-high 20 points in a 49-35 win over Pittsburg-Canaan and has been instrumental to the Patriot's success since returning from injury. The Patriots are looking at a first-round home game if they close out strong, a huge step forward for Reed Weekes's program.

7. Franklin: The Golden Tornadoes are winners of five in a row and zeroing in on a top-eight seed for the first time in a long time. The home stretch of the regular season will determine how good of a seed they get, but this group has taken the momentum from the end of last season and ran with it. Kourtney Kaplan and Lily Cornell have made the jump on both ends of the floor.

8. Pittsburg-Canaan: This is looking like the stealth team come tournament time. The Yellow Jackets bounced back with a 51-43 win over Gorham and now get top-seeded Littleton on Monday. Saidy Placey has been a gamer for the Yellow Jackets and will be essential in a potential playoff run.

9. Portsmouth Christian: A healthy Ava Buchanan has helped the Eagles get back into the top-eight mix. Jaela Stockbower has brought some much-needed offense to this young PCA team as they are finding their form towards the end of the regular season.

10. Wilton-Lyndeborough: Adri and Lexi Bausha are averaging 13.9 and 13.7 points a game respectively and have gotten the Warriors in contention for at least one home game, possibly two.