Is Division IV as top heavy as we really claimed all the way back in December or are we overlooking a lower-seeded team that can make a run?

 That’s always a possibility but not the popular opinion.

 Tonight 14 of the 15 tournament teams tip off at 7 o’clock while top seed Epping is sitting it out, waiting to find out who is coming to them on Thursday night.

 Today in the first of our sixteen tournament previews in the next three weeks as we look at the Division IV first round.

 We won’t be covering any first-round games but will be covering two quarterfinal games on Thursday night (in Epping for certain) as well obviously as every game next week in Plymouth.

 Thank you for the support of our Gold Level Division IV Coaches & Programs:

 Mark Collins of Groveton, CC Deville of Poison, Rob Bradley of Derryfield, Jamie Hayes of Newmarket, Nick Fiset of Epping, Carl Anderson of Hinsdale, Trevor Howard of Littleton, Jamie Walker of Woodsville, Jay Darrah of Pittsfield, Scott Currier of Lin-Wood & Adam Thurston of Farmington.

 Our coverage is brought to you by our friends and partners at White Mountains Community College, with locations in Berlin, Littleton, and North Conway.

 Take a look at the White Mountains Community College video with Division IV highlights produced by Jennifer Chick-Ruth with voice over from Justin McIsaac.

 

 Bye: 1) Epping

 

 9) Portsmouth Christian at 8) Groveton

  Groveton Team Page

  Portsmouth Christian Team Page

  This is exactly what you would expect out of the 8 vs. 9 game and the fact that the two teams didn’t meet during the regular season makes it even more of a toss-up game.

 Groveton has won four games in a row, including a stunner over Littleton, since their home loss to Colebrook in a game we covered. That game seemed to serve as a real wake up call, not because Colebrook isn’t a good team, but because Buddy Trask’s team completely outworked them for 32 minutes on their home floor.

 Groveton has responded and has been led all season by their two all-state forwards Josh Wheelock (17.3 and over 10 rebounds per game) and Gavin Simpson (15.7).

 In the 68-66 win over Littleton Wheelock & Simpson combined for 53 points, so there is no secret about where Mark Collins wants to ball to end up. Wheelock likes to flash to the high post and do his damage there while Simpson sets up on the low block or will back his way in from the baseline.

 As far as their defense there has been a lot of Groveton teams in my 11 years that were much better, but the Eagles can score and they may be the best rebounding team in Division IV.

 In Derek Summers Portsmouth Christian team they face an opponent who can match their size. 6’4 center Bryson Lund will be a good match-up for Simpson in the post while small forward AJ Chase can stroke it against Groveton’s zone defense.

 PCA has played a tough schedule, so they will come in battle-tested. Winning at Groveton in a tournament game is an entirely different animal though. Jason Stockbower has shown an ability to knock down jumpers, and if a player steps up in the moment PCA is more than capable of knocking Groveton out.

 

Chances of an upset: The home team is the favorite in most 8/9 games….but these teams are too equal for any win to be called a big upset.

 

 13) Mount Royal at 4) Woodsville

 Woodsville Team Page

 Mount Royal Team Page

 Mount Royal was dealt a very big blow when all-state guard Andrew Normandin went down with a knee injury, ending his season, but they were able to qualify for the tournament with a 53-46 win at Hinsdale last week.

 Louis Larosiliere (14.7 ppg. Including 24 in the win at Hinsdale) has stepped into a bigger role and the team’s lack of size won’t hurt them against a Woodsville team that plays out on the perimeter.

 Mount Royal went just 2-7 on the road all season and does not have a win against a team with a winning record so the chances of them going to Woodsville and knocking off the 4 seeded are extremely low.

 Jamie Walker’s Engineers have a pair of home games to try and get back to Plymouth State for the 3rd time in 4 seasons. They are a team that will spread you out and could be led in scoring night to night by any one of four different players. They likely face the winner of Sunapee & Derryfield on Thursday night.

 Chances of an upset: Baseball season at Woodsville will not be starting on Tuesday morning..

 

 12) Derryfield at 5) Sunapee

 Sunapee Team Page

 Derryfield Team Page

 These two teams split their two regular season match-ups, including a 55-40 win by Derryfield two weeks ago.

 Sunapee doesn’t have any size but they have speed & the athletes to give teams trouble.

 Can they get Derryfield into a shoot-out by pushing the pace?

 That’s what you want to look for here. Tim Putchler’s Lakers has the ability with Brady Grzanna (11.1), Zach Belisle (10.7) and Jordan Chappell (13.6) to push this game into the high 60’s. I’m not sure Derryfield has the scoring to win a game like that.

 I’m also pretty sure Derryfield head coach Rob Bradley is not going to allow that to happen. He will work to make this a half-court game where the ball goes through Max Byron (17.8) on nearly every possession.

 Derryfield 6’5 center Max Karpawich is a match-up nightmare for Sunapee but he struggles to finish in the paint. If he is able to convert down low that opens up the rest of the floor for the Cougars because Sunapee cannot guard him one on one if he’s effective.

 Chances of an upset: This is a game that should go down to the wire……and I like Derryfield’s chances to move on to Woodsville.

 

15) Moultonborough at 2) Littleton

Littleton Team Page

 Dan Chick took over as head coach at Moultonborough this season after Hall of Fame head coach Matt Swedberg stepped aside to coach his daughter on the girl’s team.

 Chick is a good coach with a very long & distinguished career. You know you’ve been around a long time when you’ve coached Buddy Trask and against me in a Final Four game.

 Littleton beat Moultonborough 101-45 last week so………

 

 Chances of an upset: The exact same as the GPA of John Blutarsky

 

 10) Lisbon at 7) Colebrook Academy

 Colebrook Team Page

 America's Team Page

 Another match-up where the two teams split their two regular-season meetings, with each team winning on their home floor.

 That gives the advantage in the rubber match to the home team. Colebrook plays very well in their home gym because they can pressure you full court and know exactly where the rotations need to come from on their smaller floor.

 When Lisbon breaks their pressure they have the advantage, because in the half-court they are the better team. Center Jacob Deem (14.2) can power his way to the basket on the block while power forward Jared Jesseman (10.9) is a good weak side rebounder.

 Freshman shooting guard Camden Burt (15.9) has been very good at times and loose with the ball at others (in other words he has a tendency to turn it over) which is common for a freshman guard.

 Burt has a very good stroke and good instincts, but head coach Sam Natti wants him playing off the ball where he is more effective and won’t get worn down by Colebrook’s physical perimeter defense, led by Jake Sherer (who possess some of the quickest hands in the division) and Dylan Carpino. Lisbon’s Austin Fisher will run the point. His job is to mitigate turnovers and try to beat the pressure up the sidelines where a cutting Deem or Jesseman can finish in transition.

 Buddy Trask’s team, on the other hand, wants to turn this into & up & down affair. Colebrook wants Fisher & Burt to try and dribble through their pressure, not pass over it, and if they can get Lisbon out of sorts with their pressure it takes away Deem in the paint.

 Not that Deem has a mismatch when he gets the ball down low. Mohawks forward Malik McKinnon (younger brother of Parker & Sedrick) has been very good, active on the boards (he’s been their best rebounder) and is very tough defensively. He will be the last line of defense at the rim while Les Lord & Cam Frizzell will take turns matching up with Jesseman when Lisbon is in their half-court offense.

 Lisbon has to be patient to win, not necessarily in their shot selection, but in how they handle Colebrook’s pressure. In the first meeting Trask’s team dialed up the pressure late and Lisbon didn’t handle it well. In the second meeting Lisbon realized early on that if they could get the ball quickly over half court, they were going to get very good looks at the basket.

 Colebrook needs to come out fast & physical as they did against Groveton and go for the knockout blow early. For the home team in a game like this, the start of the game is crucial, it can set the tone for the rest of the night.

 The tone Colebrook wants to set is that Lisbon isn’t going to be able to handle their pressure on a small floor.

 The winner here goes to Littleton Thursday night.

 Chances of an upset: I refuse to pick against either America or a 28 foot tall Mohawks Indian………..I revere each of them too much.

 

 14) Wilton Lyndeborough at 3) Newmarket

 Newmarket Team Page

 Jamie Hayes’ Mules won both regular-season meetings 74-54 and 70-41 eleven days ago.

 This should be a warm-up for what should be a fun quarterfinal game against Pittsfield or Farmington. If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out today’s Player Locker Room 8 questions interview go check it out, Simon Cote, Jared Woodman, Owen Hayes & Will Chase all did their interviews as one big press conference.

 It came out great, although Woodman could have picked a much better looking guy to play him in a movie…

 

 Chances of an upset: I already told Nichole Marrero she is covering a game in Newmarket on Thursday.

 

 11) Farmington at 6) Pittsfield

 Farmington Team Page

 Pittsfield Team Page

 Tournament games are tough enough but when you match-up with one of your biggest rivals it dials it up a notch.

 Jay Darrah’s team beat Farmington twice during the season, including 58-50 on January 15th, and will have to do it a third time to continue their title defense.

 Adam Thurston’s team has gone 3-2 since leading scorer & rebounder Logan Ebare was dismissed from the team as Marcus Berko has really stepped up, averaging 19 ppg. in the last five contests.

 Keagan Adams & Izea Long have also stepped up their production while Thurston has mixed up his pressure defenses. Farmington has moved the ball well amongst a balanced scoring lineup and will come into this game confident they can pull the upset.

 In Pittsfield, they’ll first need to stop the dribble penetration of Devin Bedell (14.6) and Devin Bocash (14.1).

 Pittsfield is not a team that settles for a lot of three’s. Darrah runs very good offense and they are more of an attack the basket team than a team that searching for the best perimeter jumper.

 Farmington doesn’t have a starter over 6 feet tall so their ability to rebound as a team is going to mirror their chances of pulling a big first-round upset.

 Expect a packed house in Pittsfield for this one…..we’ll see the winner in Newmarket Thursday night.

 

 Tomorrow: Division III