The Sentinel Title Services Division II Basketball Preview
2015-12-15
Cody Graham and Portsmouth will fight to get back to Durham
By Dave Haley
As Joey Glynn held the ball fifteen feet from the basket in the final moments of the Division II championship game against Bishop Brady the game stood tied at 63. Back & forth they had went for three quarters until Portsmouth had seemed to take control, only to see the Player of the Year Jourdain Bell seize it back for his team.
Clippers head coach Jim Mulvey wanted the final shot of the game to go to his freshman shooting guard Cody Graham. Mulvey’s all-state forward Charlie Lehoux had fouled out earlier in the fourth quarter and senior Loden Formicelli was suffering through a tough shooting afternoon. Graham was the choice to decide whether this was going to overtime or ending in a pig pile at center court.
Mulvey had called timeout only moments earlier with the ball in Graham’s hand at the top of the key. The reason being that he anticipated Brady head coach Cole Etten doubling the freshman once he started to make a move towards the basket. Mulvey knew Graham would give it up to a teammate for a better look. He wanted Graham taking that shot, and so he called timeout with 12.4 seconds left to ensure the play would end with the ball in his hands.
As the ball was inbounded to Glynn the cumulative score in two games over 67 minutes & 49 seconds was Portsmouth 121, Bishop Brady 119. Giants all-state forward Brendan Johnson, originally covering the in bounder Formicelli, fell off to take anyone coming off a three man stack near mid-court; noticed Glynn was exposing the ball as he waited to hand it off. It was then, in a split second, that Johnson decided he wasn’t going to wait to see what Mulvey had drawn up.
Johnson snuck up behind Glynn and slapped the ball out of his hands. He picked the ball up off the floor as the crowd roared around him, one in exhilaration and the other in horror.
Johnson instantly knew he didn’t have time to get down the floor. He had to pass the ball and he didn’t have time to be selective about whom he was throwing to.
The first guy he found, and the teammate he passed to, was the last guy on the floor he wanted with the ball. 6’5 center Aaron Svendsen, a very good center but someone who you want leading your fast break as much as you want Kelly Olynyk leading the Celtics in transition.
Svendsen made the catch as Portsmouth instantaneously turned from offense to defense and he knew as well as Johnson did that he wasn’t going to get up the floor with the ball. Two Portsmouth defenders had gotten back; Graham & point guard Shon Parham.
Seeing that a 6’5 center was in charge of the basketball Parham made his own split second decision, he was going for the steal. Earlier in the game Parham had missed a lay-up only to strip the ball away and finish and ‘and one’. Without time to analyze Parham made a lunge for the ball. The moment he did Graham, ten feet behind Parham, realized he was on an island and Joe Bell was streaking up the sideline past him.
Svendsen controlled the ball enough to send a perfect lead pass to Bell as Parham came up short and Graham retreated.
Bell gathered the ball alone, with the packed Bishop Brady student section squealing only 30 feet to his left. Bell put the ball on the floor and made what one Division II coach called ‘The most difficult easy lay-up in the history of basketball’.
Graham had been too far behind to contest the lay-up, which now made it 65-63 Bishop Brady, but he yelled at Parham, who had hustled back, to get the ball inbounds to him as the clock ran under 2 seconds to go. As Bell ran down the court celebrating Graham knew he might have a second to get off an 80 foot heave. He did, and it was dead on as the Brady sideline started to spill on to the floor.
Graham’s heave made it all the way to the basket and nicked the bottom of the net as it fell three feet short. “I was standing right behind him when he threw it up,” said one of the game officials of Graham’s desperation heave, “and it was dead on…”
Final score: Bishop Brady 65, Portsmouth 63. The teams had completed 68 minutes of basketball tied at 121-121.
Today we will take a look at the Division II basketball landscape in the third of our four high school basketball previews on NHsportspage.
Remember you can become a supporter of the work our entire team does at NHsportspage and have access to every single game we cover this season in full by becoming a Gold Level Supporter today. We will be listing all of our new members here on NHsportspage & on our year end highlight video and today we would like to start by thanking Mike Boehm of Souhegan and The entire Matte family in Lebanon for supporting our free website by becoming Gold Level Members.
Please click the link if you would like to become part of our team as a supporter of our work and listed as a member of our team: Click here to become a Gold Level Member!
Division II Predicted Order
1.Lebanon
2.Portsmouth
3.Manchester West
4.Goffstown
5.Milford
6.Windham
7.Bishop Brady
8.Souhegan
9.Hanover
10.Oyster River
Lurking outside the Top 10: Coe-Brown, John Stark, Kennett, Hollis-Brookline, Con-Val & St. Thomas
Keith Matte was very happy with how his Lebanon Raiders, a team filled with sophomores and juniors, were performing in their semifinal game against top seed Portsmouth nine months ago. Sophomore All-state point guard KJ Matte was playing terrifically in the open court with his classmate and fellow all-state guard Ryan Milliken as Lebanon took an early lead. The Clippers though responded and made the fourth quarter more of a coronation than a war on their way to a fifteen point win. “I thought we were playing great and then I think we just got worn down,” said Matte. “We ran out of gas because we couldn’t match that level of intensity for four quarters. We just didn’t have the depth.”
2016 will be about finishing the job as Lebanon will return all but 4 points per game production from last season’s 14-4 outfit.
It begins with the best backcourt in New Hampshire, regardless of division, KJ Matte and Ryan Milliken. “I’m not sure I’ll even go over our press breaker in the pre-season,” joked Matte. “They know how to break pressure and it is always a good feeling as a coach when you know you’re going take care of the basketball. They both make me look a lot smarter as a coach.” Milliken brings a flair to the game few players possess and it was he & Matte that led the team in rebounding a year ago. If there is a perceived weakness with Lebanon it is in their ability to rebound and defend bigs on the low block. “We’re never going to be the biggest team but we have added size this year and the athletes to compensate.”
Austin Whaley is an all-state small forward in his own right and has the ability to knock down shots & get to the rim. Guard Greg Roberge was ruled ineligible early last season but is back in the mix, giving Matte the 4 out 1 in offense he wants to attack with.
Matt Eyelander is a 6’4 center that steps into a much needed gap in the defense; someone who can defend the rim, “He’s going to help us a lot,” said Matte. Jeremiah Morton is still recovering from an injury suffered during football season but will give Matte another post defender when he returns. Greg Grant is a talented senior who made the varsity as a freshman but has not played since. His return and the emergence of Graham Chickering (“He is ready to contribute,” said Matte) give Lebanon the kind of depth they didn’t possess at UNH a year ago. “We’ve been waiting for this group for a long time and now we are here. This is such a tough division, we’re just anxious to get out there and compete every night.”
The Portsmouth Clippers don’t rebuild they reload. With three of their top six players from a year ago now graduated 2016 will be a mix of both as several underclassman step up into bigger roles around Portsmouth’s version of the big three.
Sophomore shooting guard Cody Graham steps up into a bigger leadership role along with junior center Joey Glynn and junior point guard Shon Parham. All three were trapped in a mob at half court last year as their season ended and all three intend to get back to UNH. “It’s a good group and they’re working hard but there is a lot of football rust that is still being worked off,” said Jim Mulvey of his team. “In another two months we will be a completely different team than the one we are today.”
Parham has played very well in the pre-season and Mulvey expects big things from his second year starter, “He’s played very good in the pre-season, guys are having trouble staying in front of him when he has the ball in his hands,” said Mulvey. “I told him the other day in practice, you’ve taken a 180 (degrees) from where you were a year ago as far as his head being into and 100% dialed in. I think he is going to have a very big year for us.”
Graham was the go to guy in the biggest moment of the season and now will be challenged to take his game to another level amid a lot more attention. “Cody has to adjust to the fact that teams are going to be game planning for him now,” said Mulvey. “Last season he often had the other team’s fifth best defender covering him so now it gets more difficult. Learning to read the defense and come off screens correctly. He’s always the first kid asking questions and willing to learn so he is going to figure this out.”
Joey Glynn is a natural rebounder and has improved his offensive game in the post over the off-season, “Joey had a good summer for us. He has some big games against some Massachusetts teams we played and you can see his improvement.” 6’4 Ryan Edney will provide depth as will sophomore Mike Sanborn and freshman Alex Tavares. Romeo Ingram rejoins the team after not playing a year ago and will give Mulvey another ball handler and floor general, “He’s very quick and he’s going to really help us with his ability to handle the basketball.”
Christian Peete may be the toughest competitor on the team and will get major minutes at the guard spot, giving the Clippers essentially three point guards on the floor at once in certain lineups. AJ McManus can stretch defenses with his ability to knock down jumpers, giving Portsmouth a very formidable nine man rotation. “ We’ve got a long way to go,” said Mulvey who annually tries to convince me they are headed toward 12-6, “ We’re going to score, I’m not concerned about that but this is a team that lost its three best defenders from a year ago (Lehoux, Formicelli & De'Vonn Wilson-Miles) and that is a lot to replace.”
The best way to describe the season Manchester West had in 2015 would be to compare it to a fantastic vacation you had on some Caribbean island where you stepped on broken glass the night before your flight home. You will always have the pictures to remember but you also still have the scar on your foot..
A 17-1 season and a compass set on Durham ended in a shocking first round loss to St. Thomas. In 2016 head coach Danny Bryson will start four players that saw time in the lineup a year ago and welcome a 6’8 sophomore who could be a difference maker. “ This is a veteran group and kids I have had in this program for a few years,” said Bryson. “ You don’t have to say much to motivate them, especially after how last season ended. There is a real team/unselfish concept with this group. It’s about winning.”
It begins with Joe Simpson, who has evolved into one of the best players in Division II and West’s leader on & off the floor. “ Joe is the leader but we really lead as a group of seniors.” Coaches always talk about the need for a 6’2 guard who can defend and Bryson has that in Corey Descoteaux. Guard Jacobee Burpee was one of Bryson’s most improved players a year ago and will play alongside Simpson & Descoteaux. “ They love playing together and that makes it fun to come to the gym every day.”
The frontcourt is loaded as well. 6’6 Keenan Caron is the foundation of a very good West defense and will play alongside 6’8 sophomore Akok Akok who opened up eyes at Sunday’s Coaches for a Cause Jamboree with a finish in traffic at the rim followed by a huge block to seal the win over Nashua North. “He’s a great shot blocker, what we are working on is finishing in the paint and handling contact,” said Bryson, “ obviously he has tremendous upside. He reminds me of Monytung Maker (last season’s first team all-state forward).” Dominic Plourde might be the team’s best defender and if Bryson needs instant offense from deep he can turn to sharp shooter Sean Stiansy. “ That loss in the first round was a big wake up call,” said Bryson.
“ You take anyone lightly and you’re going down. This season it is about finishing what we’ve started.”
After spending the last few years serving as Tim Goodridge’s right hand man in Merrimack Mike Gasper takes over as the new head coach at Goffstown. The veteran coach needed only a few days on the job to realize he has the pieces to build on the school’s Division I football championship by getting the Grizzlies back to the Final Four in basketball for a second consecutive season. “ You can’t teach a winning attitude and a desire to win,” said Gasper. “ You either have that or you don’t and so to have winners like Casey Gervais, Tim Comeau and Sam Heidenreich on your team has created a strong effect for us.”
Goffstown wasn’t pushed around on the football field so it certainly isn’t happening on the basketball court this winter. A front court of the 6’4 Gervais, 6’3 Comeau (and built like the lineman he is) and 6’4 Rob Girardin will ensure that. “ We love what those three do for us rebounding and on the defensive end but we also want to get them more involved in the offense.” Girardin has guard skills even as a big while 6’3 freshman Aaron O’Mellia will step right into the starting lineup (“He has great instincts out on the floor,” said Gasper).
Mike Bailey, who played very well at guard in the jamboree showdown with Trinity, will run the point and play alongside Heidenreich and Ryan Hall. Heidenreich, the kicker for the champion Grizzlies, can knock down three’s all day and brings good size for a guard. Bailey has impressed his new head coach in just two weeks of practice, “ He is a kid who works hard and does everything we ask of him,” said Gasper. “ Those are players you appreciate in coaching.” The immediate future has Goffstown in the mix for a final four run while the long term future is just as bright. “ We have a very strong sophomore class and a kid in O’Mellia who will start as a freshman so I’m very excited about the future here,” said Gasper. “ I’ll quote my good friend Tim Goodridge ‘Once you get to the college (the final four at UNH) anything can happen’ and that’s the goal for this program. Get back to the final four.”
It wasn’t so long ago that Milford was winning back to back titles at UNH. In 2016 Dan Murray will have his best Milford team since those titles and a very good shot at getting back to a once familiar college court. “ We have a really good group of kids,” said Murray. “ This is a team that works hard without having to be pushed, they just love to compete.”
Four starters return from a tournament team of a year ago; Jack Briggs, Kirk Palladino, Ryan Banuskevich and Dan Murray. Palladino was tremendous late in the season as the Spartans made a push up the Division II standings. The Spartans will feature nine seniors on the roster and will be aided by the addition of 6’4 Serbian exchange student Bojan Jovanovic. “ He can really shoot the ball,” said Murray. “ He’s still sort of learning the American game but he will step right in for us and we are excited to have him.”
Milford will try and use the depth a good senior class provides to spread the ball around and become a menace defensively. “ We work on principals in this offense,” said Murray. “ It’s not exactly the drive & kick offense we ran in the past it’s about reading the defense and moving without the basketball. This group has a really good grasp on what we want to do and that’s a fun atmosphere to coach in every day.”
Most programs are crippled for at least a year or two after the graduation of four starters but Todd Steffanides has the size and talent to once again compete for Windham’s first final four berth in the school’s brief history. “ This team is trying to form their own identity,” said Steffanides. “ Guys are still trying to figure out their roles and how they are going to help us win games. I’m a huge believer in the importance of chemistry at the high school level. This group has really gotten off to a good start together.”
Ben Emerick, last seen laying people out all over the field at UNH, will run the point for the Jaguars and will be joined in the backcourt by Marco Allanach. “ Ben is an outstanding leader, someone who is a real floor general for us,” said Steffanides. “ Marco is someone I expect a big year out of.” Forward Cole Gill will be one of the top frontcourt players in Division II this season, a big man with size and the ability to bring the ball up the floor. Bobby Dickey and Kyle Adamson will get big minutes as well for a Windham team that advanced to the quarterfinals a year ago before losing to eventual champion Bishop Brady. “We lost some big time players but we really like the group we have and it’s going to be fun watching how they develop as the season goes along.”
Bishop Brady head coach Cole Etten (his age is no longer part of his name, as in the artist formerly known as ’24 year old Cole Etten’) is adjusting to life as the defending champion in Division II. Luckily he will have Joe Bell there beside him to take everyone’s best shot on a nightly basis. “ Joe is as tremendous player. Someone who has really worked incredibly hard to improve his game,” said Etten of his all-state guard. “ He plays at a different level defensively and we really feed off of that.”
Joining Bell in the backcourt will be fellow returning starter Matt Quirk, who has really improved over the off-season. “ He could always shoot, that was his role for us last season. Matt has really worked on his ability to take it to the rim so we hope that will be a weapon for us this season,” said Etten. A new look frontcourt will be by committee as 6’3 Matt Desmarais will play at the forward spot alongside Josh Leclaire and Tom Agliata. “ This is a really good group and it starts with the leadership of Joe & Matt,” said Etten. “ We played a lot of games this summer which was really important with all of the turnover we have had. We’ll see how we stack up, it’s never easy losing the kind of seniors we had a year ago but this a group that works hard and that’s a good place to start.”
The goal in recent years for a Souhegan program that battled through some lean years was simply to try and get better. This season the finish line is a little more clearly defined as head coach Pete Pierce leads a Sabers team capable of moving up the Division II ranks. “ We’ve been one of the lower seeded teams in the tournament the past few years and that’s a tough spot to get out of,” said the veteran head coach. “ Our goal is to earn a top 8 seed and a home playoff game and I think this is a group that can get that done.”
It all starts with 6’4 forward Jerrell Webster who is capable of a breakout year as a senior. “ He has all the tools to have an all-state season,” said Pierce. “ Of all the kids I have coached here he has worked harder at improving his game than anyone.” Webster will be joined up front by 6’3 big body Aaron Stonebreaker (“Just a great kid” said his head coach). Souhegan will go with a three guard lineup that will feature Gabe Cruz, Ryan Boehm (son of assistant coach Mike Boehm) and Raj Gandhi. A pair of sophomores will have the opportunity to contribute right away as both Ryan Hickey and Anderson Geffard are capable of playing big minutes. “ At the end of the season what it usually comes down to is the 6 to 8 teams that really defend,” said Pierce. “ It’s hard back breaking work to be a great team defensively but the teams that put that work in are usually the teams that are there in the end. I really think that this group is capable of being one of those 6 to 8 teams.”
There was a bit of a culture shock a year ago when Lorne Lucas took over at Oyster River. A team comfortable both offensively & defensively in the half-court was pushed to pick up for a full 90 feet and push the ball after even made baskets. One year later the results may not translate into a ton of wins but the foundation is being built for the future. “ I’m very happy with where we are early on,” said Lucas. “ We are playing harder than we were last year and it’s about the kids buying in. They are trying to do everything I ask them to and that has made it a lot more fun atmosphere every day.”
Collin Runk will provide near 20 point per game scoring for an offense that wants to get out & go. Freshman Max Lewis will play right away and has caught his head coaches’ attention early on, “ He’s a kid I’m really excited about,” said Lucas. “ He is one of those younger brothers that have been battling older siblings on the court for so long that he comes in with no fear at all.” Parker Strong is the team’s most improved player over the off-season (“It’s like he is a different kid altogether,” said Lucas. “ He has really worked very hard”) and Lucas is excited about a very promising freshman class. “ I think the future is pretty bright and we will be ready to compete this year.”
Hollis-Brookline head coach Mike Soucy is one of the most well respected coaches in the division and although the Cavaliers will feature a very strong sophomore class it is about the now with opening night three days away. “ The future certainly looks very bright, we really like the underclassman we have in the program but the present is very important as well,” said Soucy. Point guard Nick Fothergill and shooting guard Stephen Giaconia will start in the backcourt for a team without a go to guy. “ There isn't the pressure to be ‘that guy’ we need scoring out of every night. This is a balanced group that shares the ball.”
6’4 Kyle Szewczyk will man the low block and has taken on a bigger leadership role while Matt Bonnette and Matt Simco, a member of a strong sophomore class, will get major minutes as well. “We have six sophomores on the roster and five are going to get time every night,” said Soucy. “ That development and the leadership we will get from our seniors will tell a lot about how well we will do.”
The building blocks are in place for John Stark, a program that always seems to get the most out of their ability under veteran head coach and former Bates College legend Mike Smith. “ We were really young a year ago with only one senior on the roster so that allowed this group to get a lot of experience,” said Smith. “Hopefully it is something we can benefit from this season.”
Junior forward Drew McQuarrie, one of the top quarterbacks in the state, ended the 2015 season with a flourish in averaging a double/double over the second half of the season. “ He’s really improved and a player who will lead us again this season.” Playing alongside McQuarrie will be forward Cooper Gorski and Egan Nickerson. Isaiah Lovering and Chase Patterson are expected to contribute for a team that returns nine players from a year ago. The X-factor may very well be Tyler Sullivan, fighting to return from a knee injury, “ He is a kid who eats, sleeps & breathes basketball,” said Smith. “ He is working very hard to come back and I don’t doubt anything when it comes to Tyler.”
Coe-Brown head coach David Smith has a group in 2016 that will try to win by beating you up the floor on offense and harassing you all over it defensively. “ We aren’t particularly big as usual,” jokes Smith, “but we have some team speed . We will try and take advantage of that. We have balanced size and an ability to play well in transition so that will be a focus for this year.” Point guard Brody Ashley seemed to improve by the week as the season went along last year and will be joined in the backcourt by Sam Lupinacci.
Shawn & Scott Spenard will both play major minutes for Jen Chick’s alma mater while Jason Cleveland and Taylor Dow are part of a good nucleus Smith is building around. 6’4 center Dylan Andrews will be looked upon to provide defense in the paint. “ It’s a hard working group and I’ve been pleased with how the first few weeks have gone,” said Coach Smith. “ How we are able to develop and improve as the season goes along will be fun to see.”
Hanover will again battle for a top 8 seed behind head coach Tim Winslow and all-state forward guard Dom Linehan while Con-Val looks to build on their first tournament appearance in years last season. St. Thomas pulled off a legitimate shocker in beating 2nd seeded Manchester West a year ago. Head coach Dave Sokolnicki has moved on to coach at the college level but the Grinnell offense he brought remains. Meaning the Saints will again be one of the highest scoring teams in the state.
Pre-Season First Team All-State
KJ Matte of Lebanon
Joey Glynn of Portsmouth
Cody Graham of Portsmouth
Joe Bell of Bishop Brady
Ryan Milliken of Lebanon
Second Team
Joe Simpson of Manchester West
Shon Parham of Portsmouth
Austin Whaley of Lebanon
Jerrell Webster of Souhegan
Kirk Palladino of Milford
With apologies to: Cole Gill and Marco Allanach of Windham, Brody Ashley of Coe-Brown, Rob Girardin & Mike Bailey of Goffstown, Keenan Caron & Jacobee Burpee of Manchester West, Matt Quirk of Bishop Brady, Greg Roberge of Lebanon, Drew McQuarrie of John Stark, Dom Linehan of Hanover, Collin Runk of Oyster River, Will Pollard of Kennett and Nick Fothergill of Hollis-Brookline.
Coming Thursday: Division I
Clippers head coach Jim Mulvey wanted the final shot of the game to go to his freshman shooting guard Cody Graham. Mulvey’s all-state forward Charlie Lehoux had fouled out earlier in the fourth quarter and senior Loden Formicelli was suffering through a tough shooting afternoon. Graham was the choice to decide whether this was going to overtime or ending in a pig pile at center court.
Mulvey had called timeout only moments earlier with the ball in Graham’s hand at the top of the key. The reason being that he anticipated Brady head coach Cole Etten doubling the freshman once he started to make a move towards the basket. Mulvey knew Graham would give it up to a teammate for a better look. He wanted Graham taking that shot, and so he called timeout with 12.4 seconds left to ensure the play would end with the ball in his hands.
As the ball was inbounded to Glynn the cumulative score in two games over 67 minutes & 49 seconds was Portsmouth 121, Bishop Brady 119. Giants all-state forward Brendan Johnson, originally covering the in bounder Formicelli, fell off to take anyone coming off a three man stack near mid-court; noticed Glynn was exposing the ball as he waited to hand it off. It was then, in a split second, that Johnson decided he wasn’t going to wait to see what Mulvey had drawn up.
Johnson snuck up behind Glynn and slapped the ball out of his hands. He picked the ball up off the floor as the crowd roared around him, one in exhilaration and the other in horror.
Johnson instantly knew he didn’t have time to get down the floor. He had to pass the ball and he didn’t have time to be selective about whom he was throwing to.
The first guy he found, and the teammate he passed to, was the last guy on the floor he wanted with the ball. 6’5 center Aaron Svendsen, a very good center but someone who you want leading your fast break as much as you want Kelly Olynyk leading the Celtics in transition.
Svendsen made the catch as Portsmouth instantaneously turned from offense to defense and he knew as well as Johnson did that he wasn’t going to get up the floor with the ball. Two Portsmouth defenders had gotten back; Graham & point guard Shon Parham.
Seeing that a 6’5 center was in charge of the basketball Parham made his own split second decision, he was going for the steal. Earlier in the game Parham had missed a lay-up only to strip the ball away and finish and ‘and one’. Without time to analyze Parham made a lunge for the ball. The moment he did Graham, ten feet behind Parham, realized he was on an island and Joe Bell was streaking up the sideline past him.
Svendsen controlled the ball enough to send a perfect lead pass to Bell as Parham came up short and Graham retreated.
Bell gathered the ball alone, with the packed Bishop Brady student section squealing only 30 feet to his left. Bell put the ball on the floor and made what one Division II coach called ‘The most difficult easy lay-up in the history of basketball’.
Graham had been too far behind to contest the lay-up, which now made it 65-63 Bishop Brady, but he yelled at Parham, who had hustled back, to get the ball inbounds to him as the clock ran under 2 seconds to go. As Bell ran down the court celebrating Graham knew he might have a second to get off an 80 foot heave. He did, and it was dead on as the Brady sideline started to spill on to the floor.
Graham’s heave made it all the way to the basket and nicked the bottom of the net as it fell three feet short. “I was standing right behind him when he threw it up,” said one of the game officials of Graham’s desperation heave, “and it was dead on…”
Final score: Bishop Brady 65, Portsmouth 63. The teams had completed 68 minutes of basketball tied at 121-121.
Today we will take a look at the Division II basketball landscape in the third of our four high school basketball previews on NHsportspage.
Remember you can become a supporter of the work our entire team does at NHsportspage and have access to every single game we cover this season in full by becoming a Gold Level Supporter today. We will be listing all of our new members here on NHsportspage & on our year end highlight video and today we would like to start by thanking Mike Boehm of Souhegan and The entire Matte family in Lebanon for supporting our free website by becoming Gold Level Members.
Please click the link if you would like to become part of our team as a supporter of our work and listed as a member of our team: Click here to become a Gold Level Member!
Division II Predicted Order
1.Lebanon
2.Portsmouth
3.Manchester West
4.Goffstown
5.Milford
6.Windham
7.Bishop Brady
8.Souhegan
9.Hanover
10.Oyster River
Lurking outside the Top 10: Coe-Brown, John Stark, Kennett, Hollis-Brookline, Con-Val & St. Thomas
Keith Matte was very happy with how his Lebanon Raiders, a team filled with sophomores and juniors, were performing in their semifinal game against top seed Portsmouth nine months ago. Sophomore All-state point guard KJ Matte was playing terrifically in the open court with his classmate and fellow all-state guard Ryan Milliken as Lebanon took an early lead. The Clippers though responded and made the fourth quarter more of a coronation than a war on their way to a fifteen point win. “I thought we were playing great and then I think we just got worn down,” said Matte. “We ran out of gas because we couldn’t match that level of intensity for four quarters. We just didn’t have the depth.”
2016 will be about finishing the job as Lebanon will return all but 4 points per game production from last season’s 14-4 outfit.
It begins with the best backcourt in New Hampshire, regardless of division, KJ Matte and Ryan Milliken. “I’m not sure I’ll even go over our press breaker in the pre-season,” joked Matte. “They know how to break pressure and it is always a good feeling as a coach when you know you’re going take care of the basketball. They both make me look a lot smarter as a coach.” Milliken brings a flair to the game few players possess and it was he & Matte that led the team in rebounding a year ago. If there is a perceived weakness with Lebanon it is in their ability to rebound and defend bigs on the low block. “We’re never going to be the biggest team but we have added size this year and the athletes to compensate.”
Austin Whaley is an all-state small forward in his own right and has the ability to knock down shots & get to the rim. Guard Greg Roberge was ruled ineligible early last season but is back in the mix, giving Matte the 4 out 1 in offense he wants to attack with.
Matt Eyelander is a 6’4 center that steps into a much needed gap in the defense; someone who can defend the rim, “He’s going to help us a lot,” said Matte. Jeremiah Morton is still recovering from an injury suffered during football season but will give Matte another post defender when he returns. Greg Grant is a talented senior who made the varsity as a freshman but has not played since. His return and the emergence of Graham Chickering (“He is ready to contribute,” said Matte) give Lebanon the kind of depth they didn’t possess at UNH a year ago. “We’ve been waiting for this group for a long time and now we are here. This is such a tough division, we’re just anxious to get out there and compete every night.”
The Portsmouth Clippers don’t rebuild they reload. With three of their top six players from a year ago now graduated 2016 will be a mix of both as several underclassman step up into bigger roles around Portsmouth’s version of the big three.
Sophomore shooting guard Cody Graham steps up into a bigger leadership role along with junior center Joey Glynn and junior point guard Shon Parham. All three were trapped in a mob at half court last year as their season ended and all three intend to get back to UNH. “It’s a good group and they’re working hard but there is a lot of football rust that is still being worked off,” said Jim Mulvey of his team. “In another two months we will be a completely different team than the one we are today.”
Parham has played very well in the pre-season and Mulvey expects big things from his second year starter, “He’s played very good in the pre-season, guys are having trouble staying in front of him when he has the ball in his hands,” said Mulvey. “I told him the other day in practice, you’ve taken a 180 (degrees) from where you were a year ago as far as his head being into and 100% dialed in. I think he is going to have a very big year for us.”
Graham was the go to guy in the biggest moment of the season and now will be challenged to take his game to another level amid a lot more attention. “Cody has to adjust to the fact that teams are going to be game planning for him now,” said Mulvey. “Last season he often had the other team’s fifth best defender covering him so now it gets more difficult. Learning to read the defense and come off screens correctly. He’s always the first kid asking questions and willing to learn so he is going to figure this out.”
Joey Glynn is a natural rebounder and has improved his offensive game in the post over the off-season, “Joey had a good summer for us. He has some big games against some Massachusetts teams we played and you can see his improvement.” 6’4 Ryan Edney will provide depth as will sophomore Mike Sanborn and freshman Alex Tavares. Romeo Ingram rejoins the team after not playing a year ago and will give Mulvey another ball handler and floor general, “He’s very quick and he’s going to really help us with his ability to handle the basketball.”
Christian Peete may be the toughest competitor on the team and will get major minutes at the guard spot, giving the Clippers essentially three point guards on the floor at once in certain lineups. AJ McManus can stretch defenses with his ability to knock down jumpers, giving Portsmouth a very formidable nine man rotation. “ We’ve got a long way to go,” said Mulvey who annually tries to convince me they are headed toward 12-6, “ We’re going to score, I’m not concerned about that but this is a team that lost its three best defenders from a year ago (Lehoux, Formicelli & De'Vonn Wilson-Miles) and that is a lot to replace.”
The best way to describe the season Manchester West had in 2015 would be to compare it to a fantastic vacation you had on some Caribbean island where you stepped on broken glass the night before your flight home. You will always have the pictures to remember but you also still have the scar on your foot..
A 17-1 season and a compass set on Durham ended in a shocking first round loss to St. Thomas. In 2016 head coach Danny Bryson will start four players that saw time in the lineup a year ago and welcome a 6’8 sophomore who could be a difference maker. “ This is a veteran group and kids I have had in this program for a few years,” said Bryson. “ You don’t have to say much to motivate them, especially after how last season ended. There is a real team/unselfish concept with this group. It’s about winning.”
It begins with Joe Simpson, who has evolved into one of the best players in Division II and West’s leader on & off the floor. “ Joe is the leader but we really lead as a group of seniors.” Coaches always talk about the need for a 6’2 guard who can defend and Bryson has that in Corey Descoteaux. Guard Jacobee Burpee was one of Bryson’s most improved players a year ago and will play alongside Simpson & Descoteaux. “ They love playing together and that makes it fun to come to the gym every day.”
The frontcourt is loaded as well. 6’6 Keenan Caron is the foundation of a very good West defense and will play alongside 6’8 sophomore Akok Akok who opened up eyes at Sunday’s Coaches for a Cause Jamboree with a finish in traffic at the rim followed by a huge block to seal the win over Nashua North. “He’s a great shot blocker, what we are working on is finishing in the paint and handling contact,” said Bryson, “ obviously he has tremendous upside. He reminds me of Monytung Maker (last season’s first team all-state forward).” Dominic Plourde might be the team’s best defender and if Bryson needs instant offense from deep he can turn to sharp shooter Sean Stiansy. “ That loss in the first round was a big wake up call,” said Bryson.
“ You take anyone lightly and you’re going down. This season it is about finishing what we’ve started.”
After spending the last few years serving as Tim Goodridge’s right hand man in Merrimack Mike Gasper takes over as the new head coach at Goffstown. The veteran coach needed only a few days on the job to realize he has the pieces to build on the school’s Division I football championship by getting the Grizzlies back to the Final Four in basketball for a second consecutive season. “ You can’t teach a winning attitude and a desire to win,” said Gasper. “ You either have that or you don’t and so to have winners like Casey Gervais, Tim Comeau and Sam Heidenreich on your team has created a strong effect for us.”
Goffstown wasn’t pushed around on the football field so it certainly isn’t happening on the basketball court this winter. A front court of the 6’4 Gervais, 6’3 Comeau (and built like the lineman he is) and 6’4 Rob Girardin will ensure that. “ We love what those three do for us rebounding and on the defensive end but we also want to get them more involved in the offense.” Girardin has guard skills even as a big while 6’3 freshman Aaron O’Mellia will step right into the starting lineup (“He has great instincts out on the floor,” said Gasper).
Mike Bailey, who played very well at guard in the jamboree showdown with Trinity, will run the point and play alongside Heidenreich and Ryan Hall. Heidenreich, the kicker for the champion Grizzlies, can knock down three’s all day and brings good size for a guard. Bailey has impressed his new head coach in just two weeks of practice, “ He is a kid who works hard and does everything we ask of him,” said Gasper. “ Those are players you appreciate in coaching.” The immediate future has Goffstown in the mix for a final four run while the long term future is just as bright. “ We have a very strong sophomore class and a kid in O’Mellia who will start as a freshman so I’m very excited about the future here,” said Gasper. “ I’ll quote my good friend Tim Goodridge ‘Once you get to the college (the final four at UNH) anything can happen’ and that’s the goal for this program. Get back to the final four.”
It wasn’t so long ago that Milford was winning back to back titles at UNH. In 2016 Dan Murray will have his best Milford team since those titles and a very good shot at getting back to a once familiar college court. “ We have a really good group of kids,” said Murray. “ This is a team that works hard without having to be pushed, they just love to compete.”
Four starters return from a tournament team of a year ago; Jack Briggs, Kirk Palladino, Ryan Banuskevich and Dan Murray. Palladino was tremendous late in the season as the Spartans made a push up the Division II standings. The Spartans will feature nine seniors on the roster and will be aided by the addition of 6’4 Serbian exchange student Bojan Jovanovic. “ He can really shoot the ball,” said Murray. “ He’s still sort of learning the American game but he will step right in for us and we are excited to have him.”
Milford will try and use the depth a good senior class provides to spread the ball around and become a menace defensively. “ We work on principals in this offense,” said Murray. “ It’s not exactly the drive & kick offense we ran in the past it’s about reading the defense and moving without the basketball. This group has a really good grasp on what we want to do and that’s a fun atmosphere to coach in every day.”
Most programs are crippled for at least a year or two after the graduation of four starters but Todd Steffanides has the size and talent to once again compete for Windham’s first final four berth in the school’s brief history. “ This team is trying to form their own identity,” said Steffanides. “ Guys are still trying to figure out their roles and how they are going to help us win games. I’m a huge believer in the importance of chemistry at the high school level. This group has really gotten off to a good start together.”
Ben Emerick, last seen laying people out all over the field at UNH, will run the point for the Jaguars and will be joined in the backcourt by Marco Allanach. “ Ben is an outstanding leader, someone who is a real floor general for us,” said Steffanides. “ Marco is someone I expect a big year out of.” Forward Cole Gill will be one of the top frontcourt players in Division II this season, a big man with size and the ability to bring the ball up the floor. Bobby Dickey and Kyle Adamson will get big minutes as well for a Windham team that advanced to the quarterfinals a year ago before losing to eventual champion Bishop Brady. “We lost some big time players but we really like the group we have and it’s going to be fun watching how they develop as the season goes along.”
Bishop Brady head coach Cole Etten (his age is no longer part of his name, as in the artist formerly known as ’24 year old Cole Etten’) is adjusting to life as the defending champion in Division II. Luckily he will have Joe Bell there beside him to take everyone’s best shot on a nightly basis. “ Joe is as tremendous player. Someone who has really worked incredibly hard to improve his game,” said Etten of his all-state guard. “ He plays at a different level defensively and we really feed off of that.”
Joining Bell in the backcourt will be fellow returning starter Matt Quirk, who has really improved over the off-season. “ He could always shoot, that was his role for us last season. Matt has really worked on his ability to take it to the rim so we hope that will be a weapon for us this season,” said Etten. A new look frontcourt will be by committee as 6’3 Matt Desmarais will play at the forward spot alongside Josh Leclaire and Tom Agliata. “ This is a really good group and it starts with the leadership of Joe & Matt,” said Etten. “ We played a lot of games this summer which was really important with all of the turnover we have had. We’ll see how we stack up, it’s never easy losing the kind of seniors we had a year ago but this a group that works hard and that’s a good place to start.”
The goal in recent years for a Souhegan program that battled through some lean years was simply to try and get better. This season the finish line is a little more clearly defined as head coach Pete Pierce leads a Sabers team capable of moving up the Division II ranks. “ We’ve been one of the lower seeded teams in the tournament the past few years and that’s a tough spot to get out of,” said the veteran head coach. “ Our goal is to earn a top 8 seed and a home playoff game and I think this is a group that can get that done.”
It all starts with 6’4 forward Jerrell Webster who is capable of a breakout year as a senior. “ He has all the tools to have an all-state season,” said Pierce. “ Of all the kids I have coached here he has worked harder at improving his game than anyone.” Webster will be joined up front by 6’3 big body Aaron Stonebreaker (“Just a great kid” said his head coach). Souhegan will go with a three guard lineup that will feature Gabe Cruz, Ryan Boehm (son of assistant coach Mike Boehm) and Raj Gandhi. A pair of sophomores will have the opportunity to contribute right away as both Ryan Hickey and Anderson Geffard are capable of playing big minutes. “ At the end of the season what it usually comes down to is the 6 to 8 teams that really defend,” said Pierce. “ It’s hard back breaking work to be a great team defensively but the teams that put that work in are usually the teams that are there in the end. I really think that this group is capable of being one of those 6 to 8 teams.”
There was a bit of a culture shock a year ago when Lorne Lucas took over at Oyster River. A team comfortable both offensively & defensively in the half-court was pushed to pick up for a full 90 feet and push the ball after even made baskets. One year later the results may not translate into a ton of wins but the foundation is being built for the future. “ I’m very happy with where we are early on,” said Lucas. “ We are playing harder than we were last year and it’s about the kids buying in. They are trying to do everything I ask them to and that has made it a lot more fun atmosphere every day.”
Collin Runk will provide near 20 point per game scoring for an offense that wants to get out & go. Freshman Max Lewis will play right away and has caught his head coaches’ attention early on, “ He’s a kid I’m really excited about,” said Lucas. “ He is one of those younger brothers that have been battling older siblings on the court for so long that he comes in with no fear at all.” Parker Strong is the team’s most improved player over the off-season (“It’s like he is a different kid altogether,” said Lucas. “ He has really worked very hard”) and Lucas is excited about a very promising freshman class. “ I think the future is pretty bright and we will be ready to compete this year.”
Hollis-Brookline head coach Mike Soucy is one of the most well respected coaches in the division and although the Cavaliers will feature a very strong sophomore class it is about the now with opening night three days away. “ The future certainly looks very bright, we really like the underclassman we have in the program but the present is very important as well,” said Soucy. Point guard Nick Fothergill and shooting guard Stephen Giaconia will start in the backcourt for a team without a go to guy. “ There isn't the pressure to be ‘that guy’ we need scoring out of every night. This is a balanced group that shares the ball.”
6’4 Kyle Szewczyk will man the low block and has taken on a bigger leadership role while Matt Bonnette and Matt Simco, a member of a strong sophomore class, will get major minutes as well. “We have six sophomores on the roster and five are going to get time every night,” said Soucy. “ That development and the leadership we will get from our seniors will tell a lot about how well we will do.”
The building blocks are in place for John Stark, a program that always seems to get the most out of their ability under veteran head coach and former Bates College legend Mike Smith. “ We were really young a year ago with only one senior on the roster so that allowed this group to get a lot of experience,” said Smith. “Hopefully it is something we can benefit from this season.”
Junior forward Drew McQuarrie, one of the top quarterbacks in the state, ended the 2015 season with a flourish in averaging a double/double over the second half of the season. “ He’s really improved and a player who will lead us again this season.” Playing alongside McQuarrie will be forward Cooper Gorski and Egan Nickerson. Isaiah Lovering and Chase Patterson are expected to contribute for a team that returns nine players from a year ago. The X-factor may very well be Tyler Sullivan, fighting to return from a knee injury, “ He is a kid who eats, sleeps & breathes basketball,” said Smith. “ He is working very hard to come back and I don’t doubt anything when it comes to Tyler.”
Coe-Brown head coach David Smith has a group in 2016 that will try to win by beating you up the floor on offense and harassing you all over it defensively. “ We aren’t particularly big as usual,” jokes Smith, “but we have some team speed . We will try and take advantage of that. We have balanced size and an ability to play well in transition so that will be a focus for this year.” Point guard Brody Ashley seemed to improve by the week as the season went along last year and will be joined in the backcourt by Sam Lupinacci.
Shawn & Scott Spenard will both play major minutes for Jen Chick’s alma mater while Jason Cleveland and Taylor Dow are part of a good nucleus Smith is building around. 6’4 center Dylan Andrews will be looked upon to provide defense in the paint. “ It’s a hard working group and I’ve been pleased with how the first few weeks have gone,” said Coach Smith. “ How we are able to develop and improve as the season goes along will be fun to see.”
Hanover will again battle for a top 8 seed behind head coach Tim Winslow and all-state forward guard Dom Linehan while Con-Val looks to build on their first tournament appearance in years last season. St. Thomas pulled off a legitimate shocker in beating 2nd seeded Manchester West a year ago. Head coach Dave Sokolnicki has moved on to coach at the college level but the Grinnell offense he brought remains. Meaning the Saints will again be one of the highest scoring teams in the state.
Pre-Season First Team All-State
KJ Matte of Lebanon
Joey Glynn of Portsmouth
Cody Graham of Portsmouth
Joe Bell of Bishop Brady
Ryan Milliken of Lebanon
Second Team
Joe Simpson of Manchester West
Shon Parham of Portsmouth
Austin Whaley of Lebanon
Jerrell Webster of Souhegan
Kirk Palladino of Milford
With apologies to: Cole Gill and Marco Allanach of Windham, Brody Ashley of Coe-Brown, Rob Girardin & Mike Bailey of Goffstown, Keenan Caron & Jacobee Burpee of Manchester West, Matt Quirk of Bishop Brady, Greg Roberge of Lebanon, Drew McQuarrie of John Stark, Dom Linehan of Hanover, Collin Runk of Oyster River, Will Pollard of Kennett and Nick Fothergill of Hollis-Brookline.
Coming Thursday: Division I