The Links at Outlook Championship Saturday Preview
2016-03-20
Cody Graham and Portsmouth take on Lebanon
By Dave Haley
We will have full coverage of Saturday’s two championship games at UNH beginning at noon when Manchester Central takes on Merrimack followed by a battle of two 21-0 teams when Portsmouth (finally) meets Lebanon.
If you can’t make it to Durham you can listen to either game by clicking www.mcisaaconsports.com to listen to Justin McIsaac & I call the game. NHsportspage will bring you all the play by play, highlights & post-game celebrations with Pete Tarrier calling both games.
Championship Saturday 2015: Video
Next week look for my annual final statewide rankings, all-state selections for all four divisions and my final two Thursday Thoughts columns of the year in two parts.
Division I
(3) Manchester Central vs. (5) Merrimack
A Division I coach I spoke to for the semifinal scouting report said to me before the final four, “ You know after all the parity and upsets, it probably still comes down to Doc (Wheeler) and Tim (Goodridge) on Saturday.”
For the third time in five years it is Merrimack vs Manchester Central (Highlights of the first meeting) and today we break down how the rubber match will play out.
How does Central beat Merrimack tomorrow afternoon?: Doc Wheeler will preach rebounding. Where Memorial got beat in the semifinals was on the boards. The Crusaders got second and third looks at the basket against Nashua South & North in the tournament but not against Tim Goodridge’s team. Central has to rebound as a team, they don’t have a player like Joey Glynn who will clean up the glass for their guards. Dan McKillop, Ian Roberts and Jake Gianelli will each crash the boards and an undersized Central team needs an answer for that.
Both teams will play mostly man to man defense although Merrimack may switch up their looks if Jaylen Leroy is beating his man off the dribble. It will be interesting to see who Doc puts on Ian Cummings. The sophomore was able to take the smaller Keagan Calero of Spaulding into the paint in the quarterfinals. Sethe Shea would be a similar match-up so look for David Baraka to get a shot at Merrimack’s leading scorer.
Central wants to push the tempo and get Jonathin Makori & President Evan Macdonald easy looks in transition. Central doesn’t need to play at the frenetic pace Memorial did but they want this game in 60’s.
How does Merrimack beat Manchester Central?: My favorite teacher at Bridgton Academy once told me I could write a 5,000 word paper that made tears roll down his cheeks while he read it but if I used the word ‘thing’ one time it was an automatic F. I’m applying that same discipline to this half of the preview as I will attempt talk about Merrimack’s strategy without using the term ‘Grind it out’.
The Tomahawks are going to make a good, not great, Central defense work. They want to get dribble penetration from Andrew Wojciak and Mike Dudash that opens up dishes to center Ian Roberts. Goodridge does a very nice job of running plays to get Zak Kerr early looks while Cummings can create his own shots. Patience offensively and Merrimack will recognize & communicate where Leroy, MacDonald and Makori are at all times on the floor.
These are two of the best head coaches in New Hampshire, give me either one of them in a game I have to win and I’m a happy guy. They also happen to be very good friends, they took a trip with their wives last summer.
That means they have seen every trick the other has to offer and they will have their teams prepared to win tomorrow. It comes down to the kids, and it should be a terrific final.
Division II
(1) Portsmouth vs (2) Lebanon
When was the last time two unbeaten teams met for the division championship? No seriously I’m asking…
Not in my eight years and 30 championship games I’ve watched. Today we break down two 21-0 teams and how they plan to go at each other.
How does Portsmouth beat Lebanon on Saturday afternoon?: By making sure Joey Glynn is the tournament’s most valuable player. Glynn is the one player Lebanon cannot matchup with one on one. This will allow other guys to get more opportunities and better looks. The Clippers want to feed Glynn early & often to see how Lebanon will defend him.
Portsmouth is known for their great man to man pressure defense but on Saturday they play the best backcourt in the division (KJ Matte & Ryan Milliken) and one that welcomes that kind of pressure. Does that mean Jim Mulvey mixes up his defense with zone looks? Portsmouth played zone at times against Bishop Brady in the final last season and you may see a similar look tomorrow.
Portsmouth wants to keep Matte out of the paint in the half court and Milliken contained in transition. If there is one guy who could keep up with Milliken in the open court its Romeo Ingram, one of the dozen or so reasons this is a special match-up.
How does Lebanon beat Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon?: Embrace the pace of the game or as the saying goes ‘You have to dance with who brought you.’
Lebanon is an up-tempo team that is excellent against pressure and at their best in transition, so go full speed and attack Portsmouth. The only position where the Clippers have a big advantage is Glynn. Keith Matte has known this fact for 12 months, how he defends the all-state center is crucial but offensively Lebanon wants to get Austin Whaley, Graham Chickering, Greg Roberge, Matte & Milliken flying up & down the floor. Take Portsmouth’s pressure defense and attack it.
Expect Portsmouth to lie back, possibly picking up at half court and mixing in zone looks but there will be plenty of opportunities to run and Lebanon should seize on those chances.
If you can’t make it to Durham you can listen to either game by clicking www.mcisaaconsports.com to listen to Justin McIsaac & I call the game. NHsportspage will bring you all the play by play, highlights & post-game celebrations with Pete Tarrier calling both games.
Championship Saturday 2015: Video
Next week look for my annual final statewide rankings, all-state selections for all four divisions and my final two Thursday Thoughts columns of the year in two parts.
Division I
(3) Manchester Central vs. (5) Merrimack
A Division I coach I spoke to for the semifinal scouting report said to me before the final four, “ You know after all the parity and upsets, it probably still comes down to Doc (Wheeler) and Tim (Goodridge) on Saturday.”
For the third time in five years it is Merrimack vs Manchester Central (Highlights of the first meeting) and today we break down how the rubber match will play out.
How does Central beat Merrimack tomorrow afternoon?: Doc Wheeler will preach rebounding. Where Memorial got beat in the semifinals was on the boards. The Crusaders got second and third looks at the basket against Nashua South & North in the tournament but not against Tim Goodridge’s team. Central has to rebound as a team, they don’t have a player like Joey Glynn who will clean up the glass for their guards. Dan McKillop, Ian Roberts and Jake Gianelli will each crash the boards and an undersized Central team needs an answer for that.
Both teams will play mostly man to man defense although Merrimack may switch up their looks if Jaylen Leroy is beating his man off the dribble. It will be interesting to see who Doc puts on Ian Cummings. The sophomore was able to take the smaller Keagan Calero of Spaulding into the paint in the quarterfinals. Sethe Shea would be a similar match-up so look for David Baraka to get a shot at Merrimack’s leading scorer.
Central wants to push the tempo and get Jonathin Makori & President Evan Macdonald easy looks in transition. Central doesn’t need to play at the frenetic pace Memorial did but they want this game in 60’s.
How does Merrimack beat Manchester Central?: My favorite teacher at Bridgton Academy once told me I could write a 5,000 word paper that made tears roll down his cheeks while he read it but if I used the word ‘thing’ one time it was an automatic F. I’m applying that same discipline to this half of the preview as I will attempt talk about Merrimack’s strategy without using the term ‘Grind it out’.
The Tomahawks are going to make a good, not great, Central defense work. They want to get dribble penetration from Andrew Wojciak and Mike Dudash that opens up dishes to center Ian Roberts. Goodridge does a very nice job of running plays to get Zak Kerr early looks while Cummings can create his own shots. Patience offensively and Merrimack will recognize & communicate where Leroy, MacDonald and Makori are at all times on the floor.
These are two of the best head coaches in New Hampshire, give me either one of them in a game I have to win and I’m a happy guy. They also happen to be very good friends, they took a trip with their wives last summer.
That means they have seen every trick the other has to offer and they will have their teams prepared to win tomorrow. It comes down to the kids, and it should be a terrific final.
Division II
(1) Portsmouth vs (2) Lebanon
When was the last time two unbeaten teams met for the division championship? No seriously I’m asking…
Not in my eight years and 30 championship games I’ve watched. Today we break down two 21-0 teams and how they plan to go at each other.
How does Portsmouth beat Lebanon on Saturday afternoon?: By making sure Joey Glynn is the tournament’s most valuable player. Glynn is the one player Lebanon cannot matchup with one on one. This will allow other guys to get more opportunities and better looks. The Clippers want to feed Glynn early & often to see how Lebanon will defend him.
Portsmouth is known for their great man to man pressure defense but on Saturday they play the best backcourt in the division (KJ Matte & Ryan Milliken) and one that welcomes that kind of pressure. Does that mean Jim Mulvey mixes up his defense with zone looks? Portsmouth played zone at times against Bishop Brady in the final last season and you may see a similar look tomorrow.
Portsmouth wants to keep Matte out of the paint in the half court and Milliken contained in transition. If there is one guy who could keep up with Milliken in the open court its Romeo Ingram, one of the dozen or so reasons this is a special match-up.
How does Lebanon beat Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon?: Embrace the pace of the game or as the saying goes ‘You have to dance with who brought you.’
Lebanon is an up-tempo team that is excellent against pressure and at their best in transition, so go full speed and attack Portsmouth. The only position where the Clippers have a big advantage is Glynn. Keith Matte has known this fact for 12 months, how he defends the all-state center is crucial but offensively Lebanon wants to get Austin Whaley, Graham Chickering, Greg Roberge, Matte & Milliken flying up & down the floor. Take Portsmouth’s pressure defense and attack it.
Expect Portsmouth to lie back, possibly picking up at half court and mixing in zone looks but there will be plenty of opportunities to run and Lebanon should seize on those chances.