Author: KJ Cardinal

Plymouth State downs Salem State, rolls to 5-0

By: KJ Cardinal

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – A 16-point second-half run propelled Plymouth State to a 76-54 victory over Salem State on Saturday afternoon at Foley Gym.

With the win, the Panthers push their season-opening win streak to five and are off to their best start since 2015-16 when the team opened the year with eight-straight victories.

Ivan Yen (Concord) paced PSU with 15 points, while Eli Swanson (Inter-Lakes/Holderness) recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards. Torran Bosworth and Kevin Henry (Exeter) also chipped in with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Next up for Plymouth State is a home tilt with 5-1 Rivier on Tuesday at 7:00 pm

Prior to the game, Tony Martinez (Pittsfield) was presented his Little East Conference Hall of Fame ring. The current Belmont head coach is a two-time 1st Team All-LEC pick, tallying 1,556 points and 626 rebounds in his PSU career. He helped lead the Panthers to a pair of LEC regular-season titles and a trip to the ECAC Division III New England Championship.

Check out photos of the action by Danielle Cook of DC Photography…

Salem State at Plymouth State (11.23.24) - DANIELLE COOK
Salem State at Plymouth State (11.23.24) – DANIELLE COOK
179 photos

Rivier downs Brooklyn, off to best start in program history

By KJ Cardinal

NASHUA, N.H. – Rivier defeated visiting Brooklyn, 90-63, on Saturday afternoon at the Muldoon Center to improve to 5-1 on the season, the best start in program history through six games.

The Raiders were led by a trio of Granite Staters as Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) poured in a game-high 25 points, while Joey Merrill (Derry, N.H.) and Matt Constant (Laconia, N.H.) added 22 and 14, respectively.

Rivier returns to action on Tuesday as they head to Plymouth to take on the undefeated Panthers at 7:00 PM at Foley Gym.

Check out photos of today’s action by our Dave Beliveau…

Brooklyn Men at Rivier (11.23.24) - DAVE BELIVEAU
Brooklyn Men at Rivier (11.23.24) – DAVE BELIVEAU
87 photos

Brewster basketball is different

Brewster Academy Basketball is just different.

The only Nike Elite High School Program in New England, the Bobcats currently rank 12th nationally in the ESPN High School Basketball Top-25 Poll.

With a 5-0 record to start the season, Brewster is averaging just over 115 points per game and winning by an average margin of nearly 60 PPG.

If you haven’t been, it’s worth the trip to Wolfeboro to see these stars in action…

Plymouth State improves to 4-0 with win over Lasell

By: KJ Cardinal

PLYMOUTH, NH – The Plymouth State men remained perfect on the season and handed visiting Lasell its first loss of the year as the Panthers defeated the Lasers, 76-66, on Thursday night at Foley Gym.

PSU improves to 4-0 on the season, while Lasell falls to 4-1. The 4-0 record for Plymouth marks its best start since an 8-0 flurry to begin the 2015-16 season.

Kevin Henry (Exeter) continued to lead the Panthers as he pumped in a team-high 21 points, while Torran Bosworth added 17. Eli Swanson (Inter-Lakes/Holderness School) and Ivan Yen (Concord) also chipped in with 12 and 11 points, respectively for PSU.

The Panthers return to action on Saturday as they play host to Salem State at 1:00 pm. Prior to the game, 2002 PSU grad and current Belmont head coach Tony Martinez (Pittsfield) will be honored as the latest inductee into the Little East Conference Hall of Fame.

Check out photos of the action by Connor Chrusciel…

Lasell Men at Plymouth State (11.21.24) - CONNOR CHRUSCIEL
Lasell Men at Plymouth State (11.21.24) – CONNOR CHRUSCIEL
15 photos

Saint Anselm men pull away past Saint Mike’s

By: KJ Cardinal

MANCHESTER, NH – Behind a career-high 22 points from freshman Erik Oliver-Bush, Saint Anselm took down defending Northeast-10 Conference champion Saint Michael’s, 81-57, on Wednesday night at Stoutenburgh Gym.

🎥 WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF E.O.B.’S BIG NIGHT…

The two league foes traded buckets for the first five minutes of action as the game was tied at 8-8 with 15:24 left in the opening half. The Hawks then went on a 7-0 run over the next three minutes and never trailed again.

Saint Anselm boasted five players in double digits on the evening. Oliver-Bush was 8-10 from the field for his 22 points, while Exeter’s Josh Morrissette (15 points), Sean McCarthy (14), Jadon Archer (14) and Juju Ramirez (10) all netted double figures as well.

The Purple Knights were led by 21 points from Alan Brzezinski.

With the win, The Hawks improve to 2-2 on the season, 1-1 in NE10 action. St. Mike’s, the defending NE10 champion and preseason league favorite, falls to 0-5, 0-3 in league play.

Saint Anselm returns to action on Saturday as they host Jefferson at 2:00 pm.

Check out the full gallery of the action by Todd Grzywacz of Stonewall Photography…

Saint Michael's Men at Saint Anselm (11.20.24) - TODD GRZYWACZ
Saint Michael's Men at Saint Anselm (11.20.24) – TODD GRZYWACZ
89 photos

Saint Anselm women escape with controversial win over Saint Mike’s

By: KJ Cardinal

MANCHESTER, NH – Give credit to the Saint Anselm women for battling back from a five-point deficit entering the final quarter of play to earn a hard-fought 57-55 victory over visiting Saint Michael’s on Wednesday night at Stoutenburgh Gym. But, the victory comes with controversy as a buzzer-beating putback at the end of regulation by the Purple Knights’ Ruby Santos was incorrectly waved off by the officials.

Saint Anselm’s Melanie Hoyt went 1-for-2 from the charity stripe with 6.0 seconds remaining on the clock to set up the game’s final dramatics. Attempting to go for the win on the road, a three-point heave by St. Mike’s Brianna Furch with 3.2 on the clock was wide left, barely grazing the backboard. After a brief scrum under the basket, the ball was coralled by Santos and laid up and in as time expired.

🎥 WATCH THE FINAL SECONDS…

The Purple Knights bench stormed the floor in celebration while the officials quickly huddled up and waved off the bucket. The basket would have forced overtime and given us five more minutes of action in what was a very entertaining Northeast-10 Conference match-up. It was an unfortunate way for this one to end for both squads.

Hoyt led the Hawks with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Elise MacNair chipped in with 12 points as well. The Purple Knights were paced by a game-high 21 points from Brianna Furch and 12 from her sister Amber Furch.

The game also marked a reunion for two Portsmouth High School seniors from a season ago as Saint A’s freshman Avery Romps and Saint Mike’s freshman Margaret Montplaisir took the court as opponents. Romps netted four points in 16 minutes of action, while Montplaisir tallied 3 points and 4 rebounds in 17 minutes on the floor.

With the win, Saint Anselm improves to 3-1 on the season and 2-0 in NE10 play, while Saint Mike’s falls to 3-3 and 0-2 in league action.

Next up for the Hawks is a trip to Buffalo, N.Y. on Saturday to take on D’Youville at 1:00 pm.

Check out the full gallery of the action by KJ Cardinal…

St. Michael's Women at St. Anselm (11.20.24) - KJ CARDINAL
St. Michael's Women at St. Anselm (11.20.24) – KJ CARDINAL
163 photos

Plymouth State moves to 3-0 win with over New England College

PLYMOUTH, NH – The Plymouth State men remain unbeaten after a convincing 90-67 victory over visiting New England College in an intrastate match-up on Tuesday night at Foley Gym in Plymouth.

The Panthers erased a 10-0 deficit to start the game, outscoring the Grims 53-36 in the second half, and pulled away to a 23-point win. With the victory, Plymouth improves to 3-0 on the young season.

PSU was once again led by Kevin Henry (Exeter) as he poured in a game-high 20 points. Torran Bosworth added 14 points, while the Panthers got 12 points apiece from Jayden Montgomery (Nashua North), Eli Swanson (Inter-Lakes) and Eli Pockette.

NEC was paced by 11 points apiece from Jasen Stovall and Nick Gomeau.

Check out photos of the action by our Connor Chrusciel…

New England College Men at Plymouth State (11.20.24) - CONNOR CHRUSCIEL
New England College Men at Plymouth State (11.20.24) – CONNOR CHRUSCIEL
10 photos

#12 Brewster blows past Busche Academy

WOLFEBORO, NH – The Brewster Academy National Team used a 36-2 first quarter to propel the Bobcats to a 119-54 victory over visiting Busche Academy on Tuesday night at The Smith Center in Wolfeboro.

Brewster, the 12th-ranked team nationally in the latest ESPN High School Basketball Top-25 Poll, was led by a balanced attack that featured seven players in double figures.

Ater Bol Meen led the way with 18 points, while Sebastian Wilkins (17), Clyde Walters (15), Killyan Toure (13), Payday Moore (12), Noble (11) and Preston Fowler (10) all added double-digits.

The Bobcats roster is littered with top-tier talent. Check out the Brewster squad and see where they’re committed.

NO.NAMECLASSPOSITIONHOMETOWNCOMMITTED
0Antonio PembertonSOGLawrence, MA
1Payday MooreJRGHudson, NYSeton Hall
2Ebuka OkorieSRGNashua, NHStanford
3Dwayne AristodeSRFLelystad, NetherlandsArizona
4Clyde WaltersSOGPinson, AL
10Ater Bol MeenJRFManresa, Spain
11Sebastian WilkinsJRFCanton, MA
12Dalu NobleSRFVienna, AustriaDavidson
13Preston FowlerSRFVernon, CTJames Madison
23Killyan ToureSRGCalmont, FranceIowa State
31Mason DawkinsSRGSolon OHBowdoin
Head Coach: Jason Smith (25th season at Brewster
Assistants: Josh Lee (19th season), Tim Cushing (6th season), Ryan Hurd (6th season), Nadir Tharpe ’11 (2nd season)

A full gallery of the high-flying action by KJ Cardinal can be seen here…

Busche Academy Boys at Brewster (Nov. 19, 2024)
Busche Academy Boys at Brewster (Nov. 19, 2024)
150 photos

NHIAA preseason heats up

By: KJ Cardinal

Just like the unseasonably warm weather, the 2024-25 NHIAA season is beginning to heat up as well.

Yesterday marked the first practice date for Division IV squads with many holding tryouts around the state. D-III follows suit next week (Nov. 25) with D-I & D-II just seven days later as well (Dec. 2).

The D-IV season official tips off with 2024-25 opening night being held on Friday, Dec. 6, while Divisions I, II & III throw it up on Dec. 13.

Before we get to the regular-season slate, however, there are six official NHIAA sanctioned preseason jamborees on the docket. Check out the events below as this will be your first chance to see these squads in action…

DATEGENDEREVENTHOSTPARTICIPANTS
December 1GirlsPreseason Basketball JamboreeLin-WoodHoly Family, Concord Christian, Franklin, Lin-Wood
December 3BoysNewfound InvitationalNewfoundInter-Lakes, Winnisquam, Laconia, Plymouth, White Mountains, Newfound
December 7BoysBelmont Boys Basketball Preseason JamboreeBelmontMascoma, Monadnock, Newport, Belmont
December 7BoysPinkerton Basketball JamboreePinkertonCentral Catholic, Malden Catholic, Salem, Greater Lawrence Tech, Pinkerton
December 7GirlsPreseason JamboreeKennettWhite Mountains, Inter-Lakes, Berlin, Fryeburg, Kingswood, Plymouth, Gilford, Laconia, Prospect Mountain, Moultonborough, Littleton, Kennett
December 7BoysNH Sports Page Basketball JamboreeLondonderryNashua South, Kearsarge, Pelham, St. Thomas, Pinkerton, Windham, Trinity, Bow, Portsmouth, Pembroke, Londonderry

NCAA Rewind: Two Granite State squads remain unbeaten

Introducing our NCAA Rewind. At various points throughout the season, we’ll give a look back on recent NCAA play around the state, breaking things down by Division with records, recent results and upcoming opponents.

By: KJ Cardinal

The 2024-25 season is off and running for the 18 NCAA teams around the Granite State. The Colby-Sawyer women (4-0) and Plymouth State men (2-0) are the only undefeated teams in the state, while the UNH women are off to a strong 4-1 start.

Early season action is typically comprised of non-conference match-ups and the competition levels can vary rather significantly. Let’s take a quick look back at each team’s start to the 2024-25 campaign and where they’re off to next…

DIVISION I

UNH WOMEN
Record: 4-1

Coming off a pair of victories over teams from Boston, the UNH women improve to 4-1 on the season. This past week, the Wildcats went on the road to defeat Northeastern, 58-31, before besting BU yesterday, 69-60, at Lundholm Gym in Durham, N.H. The Wildcats look to complete the Beanpot trifecta on Wednesday as they head to Chestnut Hill, Mass. to take on Boston College at 6:00 PM.

DARTMOUTH MEN
Record: 2-2

After winning its first two games of the season versus VTSU Lyndon and Sacred Heart, the Dartmouth men have dropped two straight to UAlbany and Boston University to even their record to 2-2 on the season.

Next up for the Big Green is a trip to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. as they take on Marist on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.

DARTMOUTH WOMEN
Record: 2-1

Behind 14 points from junior Clare Meyer, the Dartmouth women defeated visiting UMass Lowell, 57-41, on Saturday afternoon at Leede Arena in Hanover, N.H. With the win, the Big Green improve to 2-1 on the season and next host Vermont on Monday at 7:00 PM.

UNH MEN
Record: 1-5

The UNH men have dropped four straight, including a pair of contests the last two days to Brown and Sacred Heart at Brown’s College Hill Classic in Providence, R.I. The Wildcats return to action today as they take on Holy Cross at 3:30 PM in their final game at the event.

DIVISION II

SAINT ANSELM WOMEN
Record: 2-1, 1-0 NE10
Behind a career-high 31 points from Melanie Hoyt, including the game-winning basket with 7 seconds left, the Saint Anselm women defeated visiting AIC on Wednesday night to win their NE10 opener and improve to 2-1 on the season. The Hawks host Saint Michael’s on Wednesday at 5:30 PM.

SAINT ANSELM MEN
Record: 1-2, 0-1 NE10

The Saint Anselm men have lost its NE-10 conference opener on Saturday versus American International, 91-82, to fall to 1-2 on the season. Next up, the Hawks host Saint Michael’s on Wednesday at 7:30 PM.

SNHU MEN
Record: 1-2

A little home cooking was all the SNHU men needed to get their first win of the season, a thrilling come-from-behind 79-77 win over visiting Bloomfield on Saturday in Manchester, N.H. Junior transfer Ray Daniels poured in a team-high 24 points to pace the Penmen to the victory. Next up, SNHU heads to New Haven, Conn. on Wednesday for its first Northeast-10 Conference game of the season as they take on Southern Connecticut State at 7:30 PM.

SNHU WOMEN
Record: 1-2

After winning their season opener versus Post, the SNHU women have dropped two straight to Bloomfield and Dominican (N.Y.) to fall to 1-2 on the young season. SNHU opens up conference play on Wednesday at Southern Connecticut State at 5:30 PM.

FRANKLIN PIERCE WOMEN
Record: 1-3, 0-1 NE10

The Ravens have dropped their last two outings and currently sit at 1-3 on the season. The FPU women lost to Caldwell yesterday, 54-46, at the 11th Annual Regina Rivera Memorial Tournament in Orangeburg, N.Y. The Ravens play their final game in the event today at 2:00 pm versus host Dominican (N.Y.) at 2:00 PM.

FRANKLIN PIERCE MEN
Record: 0-4, 0-1 NE10

Coming off an 81-75 loss to New Haven on Saturday, the Franklin Pierce men dropped to 0-4 on the season. The Ravens will look for their first win of the season today as they take on Dominican (N.Y.) at 4:00 PM at the 12th Annual Daniel Sullivan Memorial Tournament in Orangeburg, N.Y.

DIVISION III

COLBY-SAWYER WOMEN
Record: 4-0

The Colby-Sawyer women are off to a hot 4-0 start as they boast the state’s best mark in NCAA play. The Chargers have defeated VTSU Lyndon, VTSU Johnson, Thomas College and most recently a close 56-51 win at Wellesley. Next up for CSC is an interstate showdown as they host Plymouth State on Wednesday at 6:00 PM at the Hogan Sports Center in New London, NH.

PLYMOUTH STATE MEN
Record: 2-0

After two convincing victories over Elms and VTSU Johnson to open the season, the Plymouth State men are 2-0. Exeter’s Kevin Henry is leading the way for PSU on the young season with 18.0 points per game. Next up, the Panthers host interstate foe New England College on Tuesday at 6:00 PM.

NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE WOMEN
Record: 3-1

The New England College women pushed their win streak to three with Saturday’s victory over VTSU Johnson, 66-34, at the VSU Lyndon Tournament in Lyndonville, Vt. The Grims take on tourney host VSU Lyndon today at 2:00 PM.

RIVIER MEN
Record: 3-1

The Rivier Raiders lost their first game of the 2024-25 season on Saturday as they were tripped up at Roger Williams, 103-89. The Raiders opened the season with three-straight wins over Mass Liberal Arts, Hartford and Fitchburg State. Riv returns to action on Thursday at Lesley in Cambridge, Mass. at 7:30 PM.

PLYMOUTH STATE WOMEN
Record: 1-2

The Plymouth State women dropped their opening game at the Gene DeLorenzo Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday to Colby, 67-24, to fall to 1-2 on the season. Freshman Kaley Goodhart (Kennett) paces PSU on the season with 8.3 PPG. The Panthers now take on tourney host Thomas College today at 2:00 PM.

COLBY-SAWYER MEN
Record: 1-3

The Colby-Sawyer men have dropped back-to-back games to UMass Boston and Brandeis to fall to 1-3 on the season. Next up, the Chargers head to West Hartford, Conn. to take on Hartford on Tuesday at 7:30 PM.

RIVIER WOMEN
Record: 0-2

Lyric Grumblatt (Manchester Memorial) and Hannah Muchemore (Bishop Guertin) poured in 31 and 21 points, respectively, on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough as the Rivier women lost at WPI, 74-71, in Worcester, Mass. The Raiders return to action on Tuesday, looking for their first win of the season, at Brandeis at 6:00 PM.

NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MEN
Record: 0-3

The New England College men are 0-3 to start the young season, with losses to Norwich, Dean College and Framingham State. The Grims look to get off the schneid on Tuesday with a Granite State showdown at Plymouth State at 6:00 PM.