An extremely rare pre-New Year’s edition of the Thursday Thoughts maps out some of the games we will be out covering in 2018 across all four divisions.

 In other words.. don’t @ me saying ‘Why aren’t you covering our game  on February 12th!??’

 Jennifer Chick-Ruth & I will be at Winnacunnet tomorrow night when Manchester Memorial visits the Warriors.

 We will also have coverage next week of the Queen City Invitational in Manchester as Pete Tarrier makes his triumphant return to actually covering basketball games.

 This will excite our players & readers as evidenced by Evan Welch of Winnacunnet asking me ‘Are you Pete Tarrier?’ after the win over Dover and then looking slightly disappointed when I told  I was not.

 We will also have a Players Locker Room Roll Call next week with a look at each and every member with their player profile pages. These are the players whose parents have supported our 6 person team as registered & Gold Level members.

 I can’t think of a better gift than Pete Tarrier calling out your name as our newest member.

 Click to choose your membership level!

 My annual Holiday Thoughts column will follow at the end of the week. Re-capping all the Holiday Tournament results and looking ahead to the resumption of the regular season (by the way it’s December 21st and Bishop Guertin, Nashua North and Nashua South haven’t played a game yet…because that makes sense).

 On Christmas Day we will be re-running our critically acclaimed and emotionally devastating Rocky Trilogy Podcast taped by Justin McIsaac, ‘The Big Cat’ Kevin Wentworth and I. Re-capping & ranking every single Rocky movie and asking the tough question no one else will, like, ‘ Did Paulie become a millionaire or die while waiting for a new liver?’

 The Christmas Day Podcast is the perfect way to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of Drago/Balboa in Russia on Christmas Day 1985.

 Let’s look at the games on our radar for 2018:

 Lebanon at Kearsarge on January 2nd

 I’m a little frustrated these two teams only play once….by the way, Lebanon is Nate Camp’s alma mater

 Woodsville at Littleton on January 5th

 You couldn’t keep me from this one. This is the third straight year we’ve covered this match-up and the two year anniversary of Jen, Jill and I nearly being lost in Franconia Notch during a blizzard like Jack Nicholson at the end of ‘The Shining’

 Newmarket at Pittsfield on January 5th

 Pre-season #1 vs pre-season #2. Pete Tarrier, its time you met the good people of Pittsfield…get that Fathead ready…

 Derryfield at Epping on January 9th

 Rob Bradley is critically underrated as a coach, and Derryfield has three good guards. Both of those assets will get you very far in any division.

 By the way, I’m going to ignore that my buddy Nick Fiset actually said ‘When are you going to cover more Division IV games?’

 McIsaac just spit out his Diet Snapple reading that..

 

Berlin at Gilford on January 12th

I realize I may be setting myself for a lot of pain and heartache with this one….but I owe it to my boys from Berlin. Who were awesome against Memorial in the jamboree.

 

Manchester West at Hollis-Brookline on January 12th

It’s never a dull time when these two get together…by the way, Gob Gob is legit.

 

Mascenic Regional at Monadnock January 16th

Joe Minson vs Sammy Stauffeneker…first one to 30 wins.

 

Kearsarge at Merrimack Valley on January 16th

The renewing of acquaintances in Penacook…

 

Hinsdale at Mount Royal on January 17th

Oh YES, I will!!

 

Portsmouth at Bedford on January 19th

McIsaac & I commented last year that it seemed like every big Clippers game was at home, well as Neil McCauley would say ‘ There’s a flip side to that coin..’

Jim Mulvey’s team plays Bedford, Memorial, Spaulding, Exeter, and Alvirne on the road in 2018…

 

Spaulding at Alvirne on January 19th

 The Broncos can flat out shoot it…..and Spaulding is always a tough match-up. Max Bonney-Liles vs Arie Breakfield in this one…

 

Oyster River at Pembroke Academy on January 24th

 Sean Menard will be back for the Spartans and when Lorne Lucas has the players, he wins. Watch out for Oyster River.

 

 Alvirne at Merrimack on January 26th

 One coach wants to win in the 70’s…the other wants to win in the 40’s……..

 

Exeter at Winnacunnet on January 26th

 After the game last night I was rattling off scores to the Exeter kids and they all looked at me and said ‘What about Winnacunnet?’

 And I don’t think they were hoping they won (they did).

 

 Bedford at Manchester Central on January 30th

 Central will want to  push the pace, Max Chartier & Co. will abide

 

 Berlin at Somersworth on February 2nd

 I’m on the record………..I think Berlin is going 22-0

 

Groveton at Colebrook on Saturday afternoon February 3rd

 The Super Bowl of our basketball coverage because of the rivalry………….and the 10-hour post-game activities.

 

Portsmouth at Exeter on February 6th

 Portsmouth will have rounded into form by now………they still can’t defend and Cody Graham is at about 70%

 

Spaulding at Manchester Memorial on February 6th

Two teams, I expect to see in the quarterfinal round, and possibly beyond.

 

Lebanon at Coe-Brown on February 26th

When it’s a title game rematch…and two miles from Jen's house…and there is a dancing Bear….you cover that game 100 times out of 100.

 

The New Hampshire High School Hoops Show returns Saturday morning at 9:07 am. Pete Tarrier & Dave Haley re-cap every game from the Friday night schedule while covering all four divisions. We’ll have two coaches on the show every week and you can listen in right here on our homepage by clicking the LISTEN LIVE BUTTON. The show airs every week during the season on 99.9 FM & 1370 WFEA radio in the Manchester area or listen for FREE on the TuneIn Radio App.

Our guests on Saturday will be Manchester Memorial head coach Danny Bryson and Sam Natti, head coach of America’s Team, The Lisbon Panthers.