Month: December 2021

📰 Introducing Ball 603

The 2021-22 NHIAA boys basketball season gets underway tomorrow, so it’s time to officially introduce Ball 603, coverage of basketball in the Granite State.

Basketball in the 603 has always been a deep passion of ours and truly a way of life. We’re aimed at taking that passion and our unique, creative skill set to highlight all that is right in basketball around the state. We’re accumulating a team of contributors to do everything from writing features and taking gorgeous photos to capturing video highlights and making killer graphics.

For this season, we’ll be focused on boys varsity basketball from Division I to Division IV and have some great things in store that we know fans, coaches and players are really going to enjoy. We will sprinkle in some girls coverage from time to time as well, but the main focus in year one is boys hoops.

In the coming week we have contributors heading out to Spaulding, Newmarket, Winnacunnet, Portsmouth Christian and Farmington to tip off our coverage. Stay tuned to see what’s in store like us on our social media platforms below and join in on the conversation. Enjoy the show!

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ball603

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/603ball

INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/ball603nh

📰 Mike Whaley joins Ball 603

Ball 603 just threw down its first slam dunk by landing legendary New Hampshire sports journalist Mike Whaley. With 40 years of experience and two NH Sportswriter of the Year awards to his name, Whaley brings a lifetime of experience and dedication in covering New Hampshire sports to his weekly Ball 603 column entitled “Jam Session – Mike Whaley’s Weekly Take On Basketball”.

Throughout the seacoast of New Hampshire, Whaley has been a staple on the basketball scene for nearly 50 years. His coverage of hoops has been unrivaled, but his impact on the sport in the Granite State dates back to 1975 when he earned a Class M State Championship at Oyster River, the first in program history.

Whaley went on to attend Lyndon State College in Vermont where he amassed 1,364 career points, two team MVP awards and was named all-conference and all-district his senior year. In 2005, he was inducted into the Lyndon State College Athletic Hall of Fame for his efforts on the hardwood and in 2016 he was enshrined into the Farmington Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions away from the court.

It’s clear there isn’t a better man to help us tell the story of basketball in the Granite State than Mike Whaley. Check back each week for a Jam Session you won’t want to miss.

📸 Meet the Farmington Tigers

Head coach Adam Thurston and his Farmington Tigers are getting geared up for their season opener on Friday and we had a chance to catch up with them last night for a photo session.

The Tigers will play host to the 42nd Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash on Dec. 26-30 and we’ll be there to cover the action the whole way, including photoshoots like this with participating schools.

NONAME CLASS POSITION
0Aiden PlaceSOG
1Brody TuftsSRG
2Brian BoisvertJRG
3Jeffrey DiPrizioSRG
4Shawn MurphySOF
5Brian WeeksSRG
10Matt PattersonSRF
13Matt SavoyJRF
15Jordan BerkoJRF
20Luke CardinalJRF
22Aaron WalterSRF
33Joey O’BrienSRF

Head Coach: Adam Thurston

Assistant Coaches: Nolan Chretien & Jason Cronier

📰 Opening day is on the way

The wait is almost over. On Friday, December 10th, 84 of the 88 NHIAA boys varsity basketball teams will be in action with 42 games around the state as the 2021-22 season gets underway.

St. Thomas Aquinas hits the road to take on Hillsboro-Deering at 5:30 pm to mark the first official tilt of the new campaign. The Saints and Hillcats last squared off on February 28, 2020 in the regular-season finale as St. Thomas came away with an easy 72-46 victory at home.

Eight other contests tipoff at 6:00 pm, with 24 match-ups at 6:30 pm and nine more at 7:00 pm. It’s the most games on a single day all season long, so there’s no good reason to not get out and catch some local action on Friday night.

See you at the gym.

2021-22 Opening Day Action

DateGameTime/ResultsDivision
Hillsboro-Deering vs St. Thomas AquinasDivision III
Laconia vs Oyster RiverDivision II
Belmont vs BerlinDivision III
Campbell vs Fall MountainDivision III
Gilford vs MonadnockDivision III
Kearsarge vs Mascoma ValleyDivision III
Franklin vs ProfileDivision IV
Exeter vs DoverDivision I
Manchester Memorial vs GoffstownDivision I
Nashua North vs KeeneDivision I
Trinity vs Manchester CentralDivision I
Alvirne vs MerrimackDivision I
Concord vs PinkertonDivision I
Winnacunnet vs PortsmouthDivision I
Spaulding vs SalemDivision I
Nashua South vs TimberlaneDivision I
ConVal vs HanoverDivision II
Pelham vs John StarkDivision II
Coe-Brown vs Manchester WestDivision II
Sanborn vs Merrimack ValleyDivision II
Milford vs PlymouthDivision II
Kingswood vs SouheganDivision II
Conant vs SomersworthDivision III
Newfound vs Prospect MountainDivision III
Raymond vs MascenicDivision III
White Mountains vs WinnisquamDivision III
Littleton vs GorhamDivision IV
Groveton vs Lin-WoodDivision IV
Holy Family vs NewmarketDivision IV
Derryfield vs NuteDivision IV
Pittsburg-Canaan vs WoodsvilleDivision IV
Bedford vs Bishop GuertinDivision I
Londonderry vs WindhamDivision I
Bow vs Bishop BradyDivision II
Pembroke vs LebanonDivision II
Hopkinton vs NewportDivision III
Portsmouth Christian vs FarmingtonDivision IV
Mount Royal vs HinsdaleDivision IV
Wilton-Lyndeborough vs PittsfieldDivision IV
Epping vs SunapeeDivision IV

📸 Belmont Jamboree

With the start of the 2021-22 season under a week away, we treated ourselves to some competitive hoops at the afternoon session of the Belmont Boys Basketball Jamboree on Saturday. Epping and Farmington led the way in the 20-minute games as they both went 3-1. The Blue Devils lone loss came to Groveton, while the Tigers were tripped up by Epping.