Tag: Manchester West

Bailey lifts Kennett to first-round upset of West

Daven Bailey poured in a game-high 22 points to give #12 Kennett a 41-33 upset win at #5 Manchester West on Tuesday night.

The Eagles advance to the quarterfinal round where they will take on #4 Coe-Brown on Friday at 7:00 pm.

Early in the 1st quarter, West’s Max Shosa went down with an ankle injury. Shosa, the division’s leading scorer (24.9 PPG), was held to just four points.

Will Tanuvasa paced the Blue Knights with 12 points.

Check out the full gallery by Cindy Lavigne of Lavigne’s Live Shots…

Bow’s strong start sends Falcons past West

Bow poured in 38 first-half points to propel the Falcons to a 58-44 win over visiting Manchester West on Tuesday night.

The Falcons were led by Brendan O’Keefe’s 16 points, while Jake Reardon added 15. West was paced by 10 points from Will Tanuvasa.

With the win, Bow improves to 12-4 on the season, while West falls to 11-4.

Check out the full photo gallery by Juliette Tarsa…

Manchester West wins battle of the Knights

Max Shosa pumped in a game-high 23 points, including the 1,000th of his career, to lead the Manchester West Blue Knights to a 66-61 victory over the visiting Kingswood Knights on Tuesday night.

West’s Will Tanuvasa also had 16 points, while Brady Moulton led the Knights with 21 points and Emerson De Nitto (11) and Will Crane (10) both added double digits as well.

With the win, West stretches its win streak to three games and improves to 10-3. Kingswood has now dropped three-in-a-row and falls to 5-8.

Check out photos of the action by Cindy Lavigne of Lavigne’s Live Shots…

Nate’s Take: New Hampshire needs a shot clock

By Nathaniel Ford

On January 3, 2020, Manchester West was facing Souhegan in Division II play. West led 26-23 going into the second half, and Souhegan came out in a zone defense. What happened next put on full display why a shot clock is necessary in the state. 

West held the ball at half court, and Souhegan did not pressure them. In the entire third quarter, one shot was taken. For eight full minutes of play, only a single field goal was attempted. 

This is not the first time this has happened, and if no shot clock is added, it probably will not be the last. This strategy really takes away from the essence of high school basketball. Holding the ball is not fun for the players or fans, and it diminishes the competition that every game provides.

This is far from the only reason a shot clock could be beneficial for the sport. In total, 27 states have approved a 30 or 35 second shot clock, including our neighbor Massachusetts. Multiple NHIAA athletes have voiced that the lack of a shot clock can be detrimental in their recruitment from collegiate programs.

The NCAA has a 30 second shot clock across the country. Transitioning from the high school game to college is a big jump already. The speed, physicality, and competition is all increased even more at the college level. Needing to adjust to a shot clock as well can just add to that tough transition.

Across the state, there is a lot of support from many people involved in the basketball community. Players, coaches, officials, and fans are all in support of a shot clock, and this is definitely the majority.

“I was hoping I would see it before I retired. I think it would add to the game,” said Coe-Brown head coach David Smith. He is a legend and very respected in the NH basketball scene.

“I think it would be a lot of fun to coach with a shot clock, and it would increase the importance of having quick hitters to get looks late in possessions,” said Profile coach Mitchell Roy. He had experience working with the Endicott College basketball team, so he’s worked with a shot clock.

One reason some have against the implementation of the clock is that it would require coaches to adjust their strategies and would be a very difficult change. However, it is evident that many coaches would love to see it added in the state, as it can provide some creativity with strategy.

“At the end of the game, it would make a difference if you have a slight lead and still need to get a shot up,” said Smith. 

This clock would force teams to continue running an offense and attacking the hoop, which would lead to more exciting finishes to games.

Another benefit of a shot clock is that it could increase defensive intensity across the board. “It gives teams a better opportunity to play defense, whether it is for 30 or 35 seconds,” said Smith. 

Overall, there are a ton of positives for a shot clock, which is why there are calls for its addition. However, the voices on the other side of the argument have some valid points as well.

The most obvious concern is the price and the installation of the clocks. Every school would need to buy two, one for each basket, and then wire them to the scorer’s table. While this would be a large upfront payment, there is possibly a larger concern.

“The biggest thing would be finding someone to operate the shot clock. You’d have to find another person willing to do the clock, and they would be paid the same as the game clock operator,” said Coe-Brown athletic director Samuel Struthers. 

Operating a shot clock takes training and full attention into the game. The operator must understand all of the instances where it needs to be reset, which can be pretty fast-paced at times in a game.

“We have a hard time finding someone to operate the clock at a smaller school. Now to make sure everyone gets training on the shot clock rules? It’s easier said than done,” said Roy.

Schools across the state already struggle to get an operator for the main scoreboard, and this person would not be able to do the shot clock as well. Finding a second person could prove to be a near impossible task.

Regardless, the nationwide trend is towards a shot clock, and at some point, New Hampshire will have to get on board. The benefits to adding a shot clock definitely outweigh the concerns. 

It seems inevitable that New Hampshire will bring it to the state. It could be within a couple of years, or it could be far down the line, but if a shot clock is on the horizon, the earlier it is implemented, the better. 

Shosa’s 34 lifts West over Lebanon

Max Shosa poured in a game-high 34 points to lead Manchester West to a 72-49 victory over visiting Lebanon on Tuesday night.

Nathias Obando (14 points) and Tevin Edmunds (11) both added double-figures for the Blue Knights. Lebanon was led by 13 points from Nick Brill.

West improves to 3-0 on the season, while Lebanon falls to 0-3.

Check out highlights of the action by our Tim Lee…

Pelham powers past West, advances to semis

Fifth-seeded Pelham went on the road and knocked off #4 Manchester West in convincing fashion, 77-57, on Friday night in quarterfinal action of the Division II state tournament.

The Pythons advance to the semifinals where they will take on #1 Laconia on Tuesday at Sanborn Regional High School at 7:30 pm.

Pelham started and finished extremely strong as they used a 19-6 first quarter and a 36-12 fourth quarter to cruise to the 20-point victory.

Zach James (27 points) and Dom Herrling (24) combined for 51 points to pace the Pythons in the win.

Aiden Scott-Beaulac led West with 15 points, while Tevin Edmunds (12) and Angel Castro (11) both netted double figures as well.

Check out the highlights by our Tim Lee…

West comes from behind to down Kingswood

Manchester West trailed by six at the break, but the visiting Blue Knights outscored Kingswood 40-26 in the second half to come away with a 69-61 road win on Tuesday night.

Angel Castro led all scorers with a game-high 24 points for West, while Aiden Scott Beaulac (15) and Max Shosa (14) both netted double figures as well.

Kingswood was paced by 15 points from Casey Arsenault and 13 from Brady Moulton.

West has now won seven straight and improves to 10-2 on the season, while the Knights fall to 6-7.

Check out photos of the action by our Jill Stevens…