Tag: Kennett

McLellan’s clutch free throws lifts Kennett to D-II crown

By: KJ Cardinal

DURHAM – Trailing by one with no time on the clock, Kennett’s Kaylee McLellan went to the line and buried two clutch free throws to give the second-seeded Eagles a 38-37 victory over top-seeded and unbeaten Bow, capturing the 2023 NHIAA Division II Girls Basketball State Championship on Sunday at the University of New Hampshire.

As the final seconds ticked away, McLellan received the ball at the top of key from Sydnie Chin and drove to the right to throw up a desperation runner. The final buzzer sounded and the Falcons bench flooded the court to celebrate an apparent championship, but there was a whistle and a foul called.

The court was cleared and McLellan went to the line with no time on the clock and no rebounders in the lane to give head coach Larry Meaders’ Eagles a dramatic one-point win and their third-ever Division II title and their first since 2010.

The Eagles (21-1) came ready to play as they jumped out to an 11-7 lead after one quarter, led 25-15 at half and held a 12-point lead with 6:49 left in the third quarter. The Falcons (20-1) weren’t ready to give up though as their vaunted defense held Kennett scoreless for the next five minutes as they went on a 14-0 run to take a 29-27 lead with 1:52 on the clock.

The game was tied at 31-31 entering the fourth quarter, which would be a grind between the two best defensive teams in the division. The two teams combined combined to shoot just 4-16 from the field in the final stanza before setting up McLellan’s game-winning heroics.

While the game ended with two of the most clutch free throw in tournament history by McLellan, the game could be seen as being ultimately decided at the charity stripe. The Eagles were an impressive 11-13 from the line as a team (84.6%) and the Falcons were just 7-13 (53.8%). McLellan alone was a perfect 8-8.

Bow’s Bella LaPerle led all scorers with a game-high 15 points and teammate Alex Larabee added 13. McLellan (14) and Chin (10) both netted double figures to lead Kennett.

Check out the full photo gallery by our own Jill Stevens…

Kennett downs Pelham, advances to championship

KINGSTON – Behind a game-high 21 points from Kaylee McLellan, No. 2 Kennett defeated No. 3 Pelham, 54-40, on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the NHIAA Division II Girls Basketball State Tournament at Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston. 

The Eagles advance to Sunday’s title game where they will take on No. 1 Bow at the University of New Hampshire at 1:00 pm. 

Sydnie Chin also notched double-digits in the scoring column with 10 for the Eagles, while Jasmine Becotte (14 points) and Sophia Joncas (11)  led the way for the Pythons.

Check out the full photo gallery by our Jill Stevens…

Kennett powers past Plymouth

Kennett went on the road and defeated Plymouth, 51-40, on Tuesday night in Division II action.

Ben Doughterty scored a team-high 16 points for the Eagles, while Evan Koroski and Alex Clark each added 10. The Bobcats were led by a game-high 23 points from Dylan Webster.

Check out the full gallery of the action by John-Scott Sherburne…

Kennett eases past Plymouth

The Kennett Eagles improved to 12-0 with a 78-18 road win at Plymouth on Tuesday.

The Eagles led 23-5 after one and 50-7 at the half en route to the victory. Nine players scored for Kennett, who was led by 19 from Kaylee McLellan and double-digit efforts from Sydnie Chin (17), Kaley Goodhart (14) and Catherine Chick (10).

Plymouth, who was without leading scorer Kaylee Merrifield, falls to 3-8 on the season.

Check out the full gallery by John-Scott Sherburne…

The Bash: Day 5 Recap

By: KJ Cardinal

The 43rd Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball came to a close on Friday night with the Coffee County (TN) girls and the Belmont boys coming away with the titles in two exciting match-ups in front of a packed crowd in Farmington.

GIRLS FINAL: COFFEE COUNTY 54, KENNETT 33
• PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
The Coffee County girls from Manchester, Tenn. were all the buzz coming into the finals, but Larry Meader had his quick and feisty Kennett squad ready to play and they did the 603 proud. The Lady Raiders would take home the title with a 54-33 victory, dethroning the two-time defending champions in the process.

The Eagles seemed to be un-intimidated by a Coffee County team that entered the game with a near 78-point average margin of victory in their first four games of the tournament. Kennett’s Catherine Chick really challenged Chloe Gannon on the opening tip and the Eagles became the first team in the tourney to prevent the Lady Raiders from scoring a three on their “Island” set play on the jump ball. It was a minor victory in the grand scheme of things, but seemed to instill confidence for Kennett right from the onset.

Channah Gannon connected on a quick jumper just eight seconds into the game to get the Lady Raiders on the board, but a three-pointer by Kaylee McLellan would give the Eagles a brief lead, 3-2, marking the only time Coffee Country trailed during a game at The Bash.

Kennett’s speed and ball pressure seemed to rattle the Lady Raiders at times as the Eagles held Coffee County to 30 points fewer points than any other team in the tourney. Kennett trailed 12-3 after the first quarter and later 20-3 in the second and the game appeared destined for another blow out like the other Coffee County contests. The Eagles had other thoughts, however, as they outscored the Lady Raiders 16-11 to close the half, sparked by two Hope Elias threes, and trailed by just 12, 31-19, at the break.

The Eagles were energized at the start of the second half and tied the stanza, 9-9, but the 4th quarter belonged to the Lady Raiders as they closed out the game on a 14-5 run to earn the title.

Coffee County was paced by 16 points from Channah Gannon and 11 apiece from Julie Ruehling and Natalie Barnes. Kennett was led by 9 apiece from Elias and Kailey Goodhart, while Sam Sidoti chipped in with 8.

GIRLS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP: Chloe Gannon, Coffee County (TN)
Mya Brown, Profile
Channa Gannon, Coffee County (TN)
Emma Gillis, Sanborn
Kaley Goodhart, Kennett
Kourtney Kaplan, Franklin
Kaley Mclellen, Kennett
Darci Stone, Belmont

Team Sportsmanship Award: Belmont
Individual Sportsmanship Award: Emaleigh Tarpley, Coffee County 

BOYS FINAL: BELMONT 56, PROFILE 46
• PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | ROMIKE REPORT
The boys title game pitted Division III Belmont’s size and length versus Division IV Profile’s speed and shooting. The size of Belmont’s front court proved to be too much as the Red Raiders defeated the Patriots, 56-46.

The Red Raiders jumped out to an early 15-6 lead after one and took a 29-20 lead into the break, but the Patriots responded with a 7-0 run to start the second half and get back into the ball game. That two-point margin, 29-27, however, was as close as Profile would get.

The Belmont big man duo of Anakin Underhill (19 points) and Keegan Martinez (18) proved to be the difference maker for Tony Martinez’s squad.

Junior sharp-shooter Josh Robie struggled to get it going offensively in the first half for the Patriots as he was held to just four points. He came into the game needing 17 points to reach his 1,000th and he would reach the milestone on a pull-up jumper in the 4th quarter and finish the game with 17. He finished the tournament with 123 points, which broke Tim Lee’s 25-year mark of 105 set back during the 1997 event.

Alex Leslie (13) and Karsen Robie (12) also netted double-figures for Profile.

BOYS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP: Anakin Underhill, Belmont
Jake Avery, Lin-Wood
Jordan Berko, Farmington
Ben Dougherty, Kennett
Hugh Hamilton, Coe-Brown
Jack Krasnof, Derryfield
Alex Leslie, Profile
Sam Reposa, Belmont
Josh Robie, Profile
Quinn Salter, Coe-Brown
Dominic Starr, Somersworth

Team Sportsmanship Award: Coe-Brown
Individual Sportsmanship Award: Gavin Forcier, Nute

Coffee County Lady Raiders: From Tennessee to the Granite State

By: KJ Cardinal

There’s been a lot of talk and interest with Coffee County Central High School making their way to the 603 all the way from Tennessee to compete at this year’s 43rd Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash in Farmington. It seems like quite the trek for the Tennessee Division 8-AAA powerhouse to make in order to play in a tournament that features predominantly New Hampshire Division III & IV squads, but to Lady Raiders head coach Joe Pat Cope this trip is about more than basketball.

Following the Lady Raiders semifinal win over Belmont, we had a chance to catch up with Cope and he said “My aunt used to live in the area and I thought it would be a great opportunity for these girls to see part of the country they probably wouldn’t see otherwise.” When asked how he heard about The Bash, he said that he simply Googled basketball tournaments in New England and The Bash, which is the state’s largest holiday basketball tourney, was at the top of the list.

Cope was searching for an event to play in because the tournament they were slated to play in Panama City, Fla. got canceled and they had to scramble to find a replacement event. The Lady Raiders fundraised all year round for this trip and The Bash seemed like a good fit. 

That internet search led Cope to The Bash Tournament Director Joel Chagnon. The two had lengthy conversations prior to the tournament and Chagnon said “After Joe reached out, I took a look at their enrollment and it was comparable to Spaulding and they’ve played in our tournament before.” Coffee County’s enrollment is currently just over 1,200, compared to Spaulding’s 1,331. Coffee County Central High School is located in Manchester, Tenn. with a population of just 12,000, but the high school draws from eight elementary schools as it’s regionalized by counties in Tennessee.

Chagnon told Cope he wasn’t sure how much his team would benefit from the D-III and D-IV tourney, but Cope told him “the goal is for the girls to experience New England. None of them have been to New England. Many have not left Tennessee, except for a basketball tournament.” Well, the Lady Raiders have achieved that goal as they’ve been sight-seeing around the area and a trip to the Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine and lobster rolls on the coast are some of the favorites so far. The experience has been one more of bonding than basketball, but that will all change tonight as Coffee County takes on D-II Kennett in The Bash finals at 5:30 pm.

With a near 78-point average margin of victory through four games in the tournament, it’s clear that the Lady Raiders have been the best team in the 10-team event. “It’s real simple. They’re in a league of their own, period,” said tournament namesake and legendary Farmington High School boys coach, Mike Lee. The NHBCO Hall of Famer added, “Those kids are so well-drilled and skilled. It reminds me of some of the John Fagula teams when he was at Nashua & Londonderry. They were so skilled, they had to leave New Hampshire to play teams.”

The skilled Lady Raiders set the tone right from the opening tip as they run a set play on the jump ball, called “Island”. While it looks like a gimmick at first, there’s no joke about it as it’s resulted in a wide open corner three in all four games. And, in all four games the Lady Raiders have knocked down the open jumper to take a 3-0 lead about three seconds into the game. They’re shooting over 70% from the field as a team in the tournament. It’s impressive to see.

Despite giving a drubbing to the field, the Lady Raiders have carried themselves well on the court. “They are the most polite, respectful young ladies you’ve ever met,” said Chagnon “Joe makes line changes for substitutions and when the girls check in, they have their arms around each other or are joking around. They are just classy.”

Opposing coaches have been very complimentary of the Lady Raiders skill level and demeanor. Following Belmont’s 97-26 semifinal loss to Coffee County, Belmont head coach Mike Andriski went through the handshake line and then entered the Lady Raider huddle to address the team. The level of respect displayed by coaches and players alike has been somewhat inspirational. 

Farmington sophomore Madi Ricker and freshman Anna Cardinal, who were defeated in their opening game of the tourney by the Lady Raiders 84-10, were seen sitting in the stands chatting it up with the Lady Raiders as well. “I think playing these Tennessee girls has taught the New Hampshire teams a huge lessons on what it takes to be an athlete,” said Lee.

Speaking of lessons, school will be in session at 5:30 pm tonight when the Lady Raiders look to bring The Bash crown back to the Volunteer State.

 

The Bash: Day 4 Recap

By: KJ Cardinal

Day four of the 43rd Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash is in the books and the finals match-ups are set. Coffee County (TN) and Kennett will meet for the girls crown on Friday at 5:30 pm, while Belmont and Profile will square off at 7:00 pm.

GIRLS SEMI #1: COFFEE COUNTY 97, BELMONT 26
• PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
The Lady Raiders from Tennessee continued to roll as they defeated Belmont, 97-26, in the first semifinal on Thursday. Coffee County’s balanced attack was on display as they placed five players in double-digits, led by 15 points from Emaleigh Tarpley. The Red Raiders were paced by 15 as well by Lena Rodrigues, who connected on five triples versus the Lady Raiders tough 2-3 zone.

GIRLS SEMI #2: KENNETT 75, FARMINGTON 30
• PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
In the second semifinal of the day, Division II Kennett defeated the D-IV host Farmington, 75-30, en route to their fifth-straight title game appearance at The Bash. The Tigers came out of the gates and challenged the Eagles for the first 10-minutes of play before Kennett pulled away and blew the game wide open. The Eagles were led by a trio of double-figure scorers: Kaley Goodhart (16 points), Sydnie Chin (15) and Catherine Chick (13). Farmington freshman Anna Cardinal paced the Tigers with 10.

BOYS SEMI #1: BELMONT 56, DERRYFIELD 45
• PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | ROMIKE REPORT
On the boys side, D-III Belmont looked a little tired from the onset, which could be attributed to the Red Raiders dramatic one-point win over Coe-Brown the night before, and found themselves tied with D-IV Derryfield at 22-22 at the half. The Red Raiders came out rejuvenated for the second half and pulled away for the 56-45 win. Belmont was led by Keegan Martinez (17 points), Sam Reposa (16) and Anakin Underhill (15), while the Cougars were paced by Jack Krasnof (18) and John McDevitt (11).

BOYS SEMI #2: PROFILE 70, FARMINGTON 41
• PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
It was a packed house for the second semifinal, which pitted host Farmington versus Profile. The two battled closely for the first quarter with the Patriots taking a two-point lead, 13-11. Profile then dominated the Tigers in the second stanza as they outscored Farmington 20-0 to blow the game wide open and cruised to a 70-41 victory. Junior Josh Robie connected on six threes en route to a game-high 26 points, while classmate Alex Leslie added 20 and sophomore Cayden Wakeham had 12. Farmington was led by 16 points from senior Jordan Berko.

If you missed any of day four action, you can re-watch all games here.

DAY 4 SCORES, LINKS & DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORERS

BOYS: RAYMOND 57, NUTE 40 – PHOTOS
Raymond Rams: Drezell Duffaut (19 points), Logen Brian (13)
Nute Rams: Gavin Forcier (14 points)

BOYS: PORTSMOUTH CHRISTIAN 51, FRANKLIN 35 – PHOTOS
Eagles: Connor Hickey (20 points)
Golden Tornadoes: Zeke McCoy (13 points)

BOYS: KENNETT 64, LIN-WOOD 41 – PHOTOS
Eagles: Bo Noury (14 points), Alex Clark (11) Ben Dougherty (11)
Lumberjacks: Jake Avery (21 points), Cam Clermont (14)

BOYS: COE-BROWN 75, SOMERSWORTH 34 – PHOTOS
Bears: Quinn Salter (19 points), Hugh Hamilton (12)
Hilltoppers: Dominic Starr (24 points)

GIRLS SEMI #1: COFFEE COUNTY (TN) 97, BELMONT 26 – PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Lady Raiders: Emaleigh Tarpley (15), Julie Ruehling (14), Olivia Vinson (13), Channah Gannon (11), Chloe Gannon (10)
Red Raiders: Lena Rodrigues (15)

BOYS SEMI #1: BELMONT 56, DERRYFIELD 45 – PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | ROMIKE REPORT
Red Raiders: Keegan Martinez (17 points), Sam Reposa (16), Anakin Underhill (15)
Cougars: Jack Krasnof (18 points), John McDevitt (11)

GIRLS SEMI #2: KENNETT 75, FARMINGTON 30 – PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Eagles: Kaley Goodhart (16 points), Sydnie Chin (15), Catherine Chick (13)
Tigers: Anna Cardinal (10 points)

BOYS SEMI #2: PROFILE 70, FARMINGTON 41 – PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Patriots: Josh Robie (26 points), Alex Leslie (20), Cayden Wakeham (12)
Tigers: Jordan Berko (16 points)

The Bash: Day 3 Recap

Day three of the 43rd Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash was one to remember, particularly on the boy’s side as all four match-ups saw the lower division team come away with the victory.

In the first boys game of the day, Division IV Derryfield started like they were shot out of a cannon versus D-II Kennett, the two-time defending Bash champions. The Cougars used impeccable ball movement and hot shooting to build a big first-half lead and had to fight for every inch in the second half to come away with a 16-point win, 62-46.

Senior Jake Avery attacked the paint all game long on his way to a career-high 42 points as D-IV Lin-Wood knocked off D-II Raymond, 75-71. Ram sophomore Drezell Duffaut also dazzled as he poured in 33 points of his own and nearly led Jim Gallagher’s young Raymond squad to a come-from-behind victory.

Alex Leslie (30) and Josh Robie (28) combined for 58 points to lead D-IV Profile past D-III Somersworth, 84-60. The high-octane Patriot offense has scored 187 points in their first two games of the tourney.

The night cap, however, was the one that we’ll never forget. The Dean vs. The Rookie. Dave Smith, the dean of New Hampshire basketball coaches and his Coe-Brown Bears took on first-year NHIAA head coach Tony Martinez and his Belmont Red Raiders. Belmont’s 2-3 zone stifled the Bears from the onset as Coe-Brown was held without a field goal for the first 6:48. There was no chance Coach Smith’s squad was going to go away quietly, however, as the Bears battled all the way back and had the ball on the final possession of the game with a chance to win. The Red Raiders survived, 52-51, to advance to the semifinals.

If you missed any of day three action, you can watch back archives of all games.

GIRLS: FRANKLIN 40, NOBLE 20 – PHOTOS
Golden Tornadoes: Lily Cornell (10 points)
Knights: Grace Roberts (7 points)

GIRLS: PROFILE 36, SOMERSWORTH 24 – PHOTOS
Patriots: Mya Brown (13 points), Maddie Koehler (12)
Hilltoppers: Ella Parr (8 points)

BOYS: DERRYFIELD 62, KENNETT 46 – PHOTOS
Cougars: Alex Comire (22 points), Ethan Flanagan (11), John McDevitt (10)
Eagles: Ben Dougherty (16 points), Daven Bailey (13)

GIRLS: KENNETT 70, SANBORN 15 – PHOTOS
Eagles: Kaley Goodhart (17 points), Kaylee McLellan (14)
Indians: Emma Gillis (11 points)

BOYS: LIN-WOOD 75, RAYMOND 71 – PHOTOS – VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Lumberjacks: Jake Avery (42 points), Liam Manning (18)
Rams: Drezell Duffaut (33 points), Logen Brien (21), Caden Claytor (11)

BOYS: PROFILE 84, SOMERSWORTH 60 – PHOTOS – VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Patriots: Alex Leslie (30 points), Josh Robie (28)
Hilltoppers: Aiden Heffron (18 points), Dominic Starr (14)

GIRLS: COFFEE COUNTY (TN) 110, COE-BROWN 33 – PHOTOS
Lady Raiders: Chloe Gannon (18 points), Emaleigh Tarpley (16), Channah Gannon (15), Olivia Vinson (14), Natalie Barnes (14)
Bears: Hannah Meehan (11 points)

BOYS: BELMONT 52, COE-BROWN 51 – PHOTOS – VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Red Raiders: Sam Reposa (13 points), Treshawn Ray (12), Anakin Underhill (10)
Bears: Hugh Hamilton (14 points), Quinn Salter (10)

The Bash: Day 1 Recap

By: KJ Cardinal

Day one of the 43rd Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash is in the books and it was a day that featured inter-division match-ups, lop-sided scores and two “upsets” so-to-speak. The average margin of victory on the day was nearly 33 points, which was somewhat anticipated with the lack of parity on the schedule. While the girls games were just warm-up contests for bracket play that begins tomorrow, the boys games were part of pool play.

If you missed any of today’s action, you can watch back archives of all nine games. We also have a notebook below, followed by a list of the day’s results that features double-digit scorers and links to photo galleries and video highlights for select games.

TOURNEY NOTES

• The closest game of the day was a hard-fought battle between the Coe-Brown and Belmont girls. The Bears came out flat and managed just three points in the first quarter, but head coach Joe Vachon’s squad increased their productivity each quarter and closed out the fourth to come away with a 37-34 victory.

• The only other single-digit deficit on the day was also one of the “upsets” we saw as the D-IV Profile girls downed D-II Sanborn, 44-35. The other “upset” was the D-IV Farmington boys cruising past D-III Raymond, 78-51.

• The Coffee County squad that hails from Manchester, TN is no joke. The Red Raiders came in with an impressive resume and they wasted no time showing the field that they meant business as they jumped out to a 43-3 halftime lead over host Farmington. It should really come as no surprise as Coffee County Central High School boasts an enrollment of over 1,200, while Farmington has just 249 students. Regardless, the Red Raiders size, depth and revolving defensive schemes will be a tough match for anyone in the tournament.

• The top individual performers on the day were Somersworth’s Aiden Heffron and Farmington’s Brian Boisvert. They each netted 22 points and led their team to opening day victories.

DAY ONE BREAKDOWN & LINKS

BOYS: SOMERSWORTH 91, NUTE 71 – PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Hilltoppers: Aiden Heffron (22), Dominic Starr (19), Evan Talley (19)
Rams: Gavin Forcier (19), Jackson Lafogg (14), Anthony Tracia (14)

GIRLS: FRANKLIN 51, SOMERSWORTH 36 – PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Golden Tornadoes: Kourtney Kaplan (19 points), Elisabet Porras Mateu (10)
Hilltoppers: Aby Lambert (12 points), Gabby Lensky (10)

BOYS: KENNETT 80, FRANKLIN 24 – PHOTOS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Eagles: Bo Noung (15 points), Daven Bailey (10), Alex Clark (10)
Golden Tornadoes: Zeke McCoy (9 points)

GIRLS: KENNETT 72, NOBLE 12 – PHOTOS
Eagles: Kaley Goodhart (15 points), Sam Sidoti (11), Kaylee McClellan (10)
Knights: Natalia Rothwell (7 points)

GIRLS: COE-BROWN 37, BELMONT 34 – PHOTOS
Bears: Ava Telehala (10 points)
Red Raiders: Lena Rodrigues (13 points)

BOYS: COE-BROWN 63, PORTSMOUTH CHRISTIAN 32 – PHOTOS
Bears: Hugh Hamilton (21 points), Connor Bagnell (14)
Eagles: Cai Summers (11 points)

GIRLS: PROFILE 44, SANBORN 35 – PHOTOS
Patriots: Kyah Knight (16 points), Mya Brown (10)
Indians: Allie Bezanson (12 points)

GIRLS: COFFEE COUNTY (TN) 84, FARMINGTON 10 – PHOTOS
Raiders: Chloe Gannon (20 points), Channah Gannon (16), Alivia Reel (11)
Tigers: Madi Ricker (7 points)

BOYS: FARMINGTON 78, RAYMOND 51 – PHOTOS
Tigers: Brian Boisvert (22 points), Jordan Berko (17), Cody Brazee (13), Matthew Savoy (11)
Rams: Drezzell Duffaut (20 points)

The Bash Preview: Our Top-10 Storylines

By: KJ Cardinal 

Click for official tournament website

FARMINGTON – The 43rd Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash tips off on Monday and we’ll be there for all 35 games to bring you wire-to-wire coverage of New Hampshire’s largest holiday basketball tournament. This year’s event boasts 22 teams for the boys and girls divisions combined, including girls teams from Maine (Noble) and Tennessee (Coffee County). The five-day event never disappoints and the game presentation in Farmington is second-to-none. We suggest putting down the egg nog and making your way to The Jungle in Farmington to catch some great hoops.

[ TOURNEY LINKS: SCHEDULE | PROGRAM ]

Let us take a look at the top 10 storylines that we’re excited for at The Bash…

Profile’s Josh Robie.

• Two words: Josh Robie. Profile’s junior guard is an absolute sniper. At last year’s Bash he knocked down a tourney record 11-threes vs. Holy Family and he has started the 2022-23 season on fire. He scored 40 and 43 points in back-to-back games already this year, netting nine threes in each of those games. He most recently had an “off night” and still pumped in 33 points. Paired with junior do-it-all forward Alex Leslie, head Coach Mitchell Roy has a fun and young squad that features only one senior.

• Coe-Brown’s Dave Smith, the dean of New Hampshire basketball coaches, is back again at The Bash with his Bears. Coach Smith is no stranger to this tournament nor to its namesake. While head coach at Alton High School, Smith actually coached Mike Lee. In Smith’s first three years as head coach at CBNA, he led his then-Comanches to The Bash title game, capturing Coe-Brown’s lone title during the 1992 event with a 52-36 win over Lee’s Tiger squad. The history and connections with Coach Smith and this tourney has all the feels for us.

Kennett Eagles: 2021 Bash Champions.

• The Kennett girls are just one Bash title away from tying the record for most in tournament history. The Eagles have taken home the hardware in two of the last three tourneys, including a convincing 60-23 win over Coe-Brown in last year’s final. Larry Meader’s squad can defend like no other and is off to a quick start to the 2022-23 season.

• The Coffee County Central girls are making their way to the Granite State all the way from Manchester… Tennessee that is. Head coach Joe Pat Cope’s squad comes into the 2022-23 season with an impressive 136-20 (.872) record over the past five seasons. At first glance of at the tourney bracket, it looks as if the Lady Raiders are on a collision course with the Kennett Eagles.

• The Belmont boys are 5-0 under first-year head coach Tony Martinez. While size and length are the first things you notice when you see the Red Raiders take the court, don’t sleep on point guard Treshawn Ray. The freshman is explosive, relentless, unselfish and one of our favorites that we’ve seen in action this year. The Red Raiders are a must-watch team for us.

• If you follow our coverage, then you’ve already seen and heard a lot about the Lin-Wood Lumberjacks. Cam Clermont recently eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau just three games into his senior season and classmate Jake Avery nearly broke the internet with his monstrous tomahawk jam versus Woodsville. Don’t let their 1-2 record fool you, the Lumberjacks lost their season opener at Littleton, who looks to be arguably the best team in D-IV, and then lost a double overtime battle to Woodsville.

Derryfield Jack Krasnof.

• While Derryfield’s Thomas Ferdinando is no longer with the Cougars, having transferred to Governor’s Academy, Ed Meade’s squad still returns a lot of talent and none more impressive than junior forward Jack Krasnof. One of the top scorers in D-IV, Krasnof is averaging over 20 points per game and opened the season with a 39-point performance against Epping.

• The Kennett boys look to become just the second team in Bash history to three-peat at this event. Jack Loynd’s Eagle squad has won the previous two events after capturing the 2021 title with 55-46 victory over Concord Christian Academy.

• Portsmouth Christian Academy seems to have a flair for the dramatic in The Bash and at Farmington High School, in general. The Eagles earned a double-digit come-from-behind win over the Tigers earlier this year in D-IV regular-season action and they’ve had overtime games, buzzer beaters and big comebacks in Bash tourney play ever since capturing the 2014 title over host Farmington.

• The Coe-Brown girls lost in The Bash title game a season ago, but are back along with returning all-tournament selection Kalina Kasprzak. Joe Vachon’s squad has started the 2022-23 with two losses, but the Bear defeats came at the hands of two teams that are expected to be near the top of the heap in D-II when the dust settles.

It’s also worth noting, the host Farmington Tiger girls and boys will be the night caps on the first two days of the event. On opening night, the FHS girls play host to Tennessee’s Coffee County Central, while the boys welcome old Southeastern League foe Raymond. The FHS girls last won the event back in 2009, while the boys earned their last title in 2013.

Be sure to follow our coverage all tourney long. From live video streams to photo galleries and video highlights, we’ll be bringing you top shelf coverage of New Hampshire’s largest holiday basketball tournament. Enjoy the show!