Division: II
Coach: Cole Etten (3rd year)
Last year: 14-7, reached semifinals
Returning starters: Matt Quirk, sr., g; Matt Desmarais, sr., F; Josh LeClaire, sr., G; Bryce Johnson, jr., G
Top newcomers: Ethan Hutchinson, fr., G
Outlook: The core of last year’s semifinal team returns for Brady, with one major exception – All-State guard Joe Bell. Still, the Giants have an experienced leader and guard in Quirk, good size with Desmarais and Johnson, a tough defender in LeClaire and proven coach in Etten. D-II is always a dogfight, but expect Brady to hold its own.
“We need to play together on both ends of the floor,” Etten said.
Bow
Division: II
Coach: Chris Gaudreau (8th year)
Last year: 7-12, reached second round (in D-III)
Returning starters: Nate Alford, sr., C, 6-4; Will Holmes, sr., G, 5-6
Top newcomers: Jake Andrews, jr., G, 5-7; Thomas MacEachron, soph., F, 6-0
Outlook: Last year, the Falcons snuck into the D-III playoffs as the No. 20 seed, but beat No. 13 Sanborn and nearly upset No. 4 Winnisquam. They hope to build on that finish and will have a nice inside-outside combo in Alford and Holmes and a roster with seven seniors and five juniors for their first year in D-II.
“At this point, we are focused on working hard and trying to improve and become a better basketball team each and every day that we take the court,” Gaudreau said.
Teams to beat: “We are focused on Hanover right now because that’s the first team on our schedule,” Gaudreau said.
Division: II
Coach: Shannon Sciria (2nd year)
Last year: 0-16 in D-I, did not make tournament
Returning starters: Noah Cummings, so., G; Sean Menard, so., G
Top newcomers: Jake Sherman, jr.; Chandler Bean, jr.; Jack Leoullier, soph.; Ryan Johnson, soph.; Malki Faraj, jr.
Outlook: It was a humbling season for the Spartans in D-I last year, but now they are back in D-II with schools their own size and ready to grow. Cummings and Menard, who both got valuable experience last season, are an excellent foundation for this young team.
“Last year does not define Pembroke basketball, but if it doesn’t motivate you, there is a problem,” Sciria said. “I have full confidence we are heading in the right direction.”
Teams to beat: Lebanon, Manchester West, Coe-Brown, Bishop Brady
Coe-Brown
Division: II
Coach: David Smith (27th year)
Last year: 11-9, reached second round
Returning starters: Brody Ashley, sr., G, 5-10; Shawn Spenard, sr., G, 5-9; Scott Spenard, jr., G, 5-11; Mike Mulligan, sr., F, 6-0; Sam Lupinacci, sr., G/F, 6-1; Dylan Andrews, sr., C, 6-5; Jacob Snow, sr., F, 6-3
Top newcomers: Mitchell Wade, jr., F, 6-0; Ben Watson, jr., F, 6-1
Outlook: After entering last season with no returning starters on their roster, the Bears come into this year with seven players who started for them last year, and Smith will rotate all seven as starters once again. Lupinacci is the main scoring threat for a Coe-Brown team that will give opponents trouble with its quickness, defense and depth.
Teams to beat: Lebanon
Division: II
Coach: Mike Smith (17th year)
Last year: 8-11, reached tournament
Returning starters: Isaiah Lovering, sr., G, 5-11; Chase Patterson, jr., G, 5-9; Drew McQuarrie, sr., F/C, 6-5; Cooper Gorski, sr., F, 6-3
Top newcomers: Kyle Hagman, jr., G, 5-11; Shawn Lavigne, sr., F, 6-1
Outlook: With four starters back and good size, experience and skill in the frontcourt, the Generals look primed for a solid year. They finished last season winning four of their final five games and lost by just one, 30-29, to a tough Hollis-Brookline team in the first round of the tournament.
“Hopefully we can build on that success, and our defense and rebounding, to make another run in the postseason,” Smith said.
Teams to beat: Lebanon, Hollis-Brookline
Division: II
Coach: Tim Mucher (2nd year)
Last year: 4-14, did not make tournament
Returning starters: Jake Hebert, Caleb Laclair, Ben Davis, James Shattuck
Top newcomers: Kyle Dube, Ryan Heath, Ryan Defina, Peyton Russell, Jack Prewitt
Outlook: “We’re going to continue to build on last year’s record and take the next step forward and continue to play an aggressive style of basketball andcontinue the proud tradition of Merrimack Valley,” Mucher said. “The team is hungry and looking forward to the season.”
Teams to beat: Hanover, Windham, Coe-Brown
Belmont
Division: III
Coach: Jim Cilley (3rd year)
Last year: 9-11, reached second round
Returning starters: Trevor Hunt, sr., F, 6-3; Tommy Pare, jr., C, 6-3; Derek Stevens, soph., G, 5-10; Matt Pluskis, jr., G, 6-0; Doug Price, sr., G/F, 6-0
Top newcomers: Caleb Burke, soph., G/F, 5-10; Matt Thurber, soph., C, 6-2; Griffin Embree, soph., G, 5-7
Outlook: With all five starters back from last year’s playoff team, expectations are higher than they’ve been in a long time in Belmont. Hunt is an All-State talent and this will be his fourth year starting for the Raiders, along with Price.
“Where we finish will directly be related to how well we defend the ball and rebound,” Cilley said. “We are looking to be the toughest game on the schedule for everyone we play.”
Teams to beat: Kearsarge, Hopkinton, Mascenic, Stevens, Laconia, Interlakes, Conant, Gilford
Franklin
Division: III
Coach: Mike Donnell (first year)
Last year: 15-5, reached quarterfinals
Returning starters: Corey Nelson, sr., 5-11; Matt Hennessy, sr., 6-1; Jayden Torres, jr., 5-5
Top newcomers: T.J. Laramie, so., 6-1; Oliver Lemay, jr., 5-8; Ray Girtman, sr., 5-10; Brian Sweet, sr., 5-11; Devin Talbot-Collins, sr., 5-11
Outlook: The Golden Tornadoes lost two 1,000-point scorers from last year’s quarterfinal team – big man Dana Bean and point guard Kenny Torres – and those two will certainly leave a significant void on the floor. But Donnell, who was an assistant at Pembroke and Franklin before getting the head job this winter, believes the team can be deeper than last year and expects to be playing in the postseason.
Teams to beat: Kearsarge, Inter-Lakes, Stevens, Gilford, Winnisquam
Gilford
Division: III
Coach: Chip Veazey (34th year)
Last year: 12-7
Returning starters: Ethan Carrier, sr., C, 6-5; Mason McGonagle, sr., G/F, 6-0
Outlook: The Golden Eagles have a solid foundation in Carrier and McGonagle, and a coach in Veazey who has the experience to build a team around them. Point guard Brandon Lemay, who is back after a year away from the team, and guards David Hart, a 5-10 junior, and Greg Madore, a 6-2 sophomore, should be important parts of that building process.
Hillsboro-Deering
Division: III
Coach: Kevin Fowler (fourth year)
Last year: 1-17, did not make tournament
Returning starters: Brandon Rodier, sr., F, 6-1; Zach Rowell, jr., G, 5-9
Top newcomers: Billy Dubuque, sr., F, 5-10; Ben Ketterer, fr., G, 5-9; Kyle Merrill, jr., G, 5-9
Outlook: The Hillcats don’t have a lot of size, but they have quickness and solid guards, which bodes well for their perimeter play.
“We are going to play up-tempo, hoping to capitalize on the fast break,” Fowler said.
Teams to beat: Kearsarge, Conant, Mascenic
Division: III
Coach: Stephen Signor
Last year: 16-5, reached semifinals
Returning starters: Cam Cyr, sr., G, 6-0; Kevin McGrath, jr., G/F, 6-2; Jacob Rockwood, sr., G, 5-11; Henry Yianakopolis, sr., F, 6-2
Top newcomers: Kayl Murdough, sr., F, 6-1
Outlook: The Hawks return a lot of athleticism (Yianakopolis), shooting (Cyr) and playmaking (Rockwood) from last year’s semifinal team and figure to be one of the teams to beat in D-III. Those returners will be learning a new system with the departure of 15-year Coach Dave Chase, but Signore is happy with what he’s seen so far from his players.
“The team has been working extremely hard and buying into a new system with a new coaching staff. It is going to take some time for us to get to the level we are capable of,” Signor said.
Teams to beat: Campbell, Conant, Kearsarge, Mascenic
Division: III
Coach: Mike Rathgeber (7th year)
Last year: 14-5, reached the second round
Returning starters: Zach Swanson, sr.; Ryan Kelly, sr.; Logan Taylor, sr.
Top newcomers: Eli Swanson, fr.; Davis Jollimore, soph.
Outlook: The Lakers return most of the team that earned the No. 7 seed in last year’s D-III tournament before bowing out against No. 10 Stevens in the second round, 66-58. With that core group back, Rathgeber wants to see his team, “match or better last year’s outcome.”
Teams to beat: Kearsarge, Conant, Hopkinton, Mascenic
Division: III
Coach: Nate Camp (8th year)
Last year: 19-3, D-III runner-up
Returning starters: Tom Johnson, jr., G, 6-0; Tayler Mattos, jr., C, 6-7; Joe Storozuk, jr., G, 5-11
Top newcomers: Jordan Bryk, jr., F, 6-1; Sam Kulacz, jr., F, 6-3; Noah Tremblay, soph., G, 5-11; Kyle Hernon, soph., F, 6-4
Outlook: The Cougars lost All-State point guard Trent Noordsij and 6-9 center Zach Mattos from last year’s runner-up team, but they also return plenty of talent from that playoff run in the younger Mattos and Johnson, who was arguably Kearsarge’s best player in the tournament. Storozuk adds more experience in the backcourt and the Cougars, who many believe are the D-III title favorites, are loaded with height (five players 6-1 or taller).
“I really like this group of kids,” Camp said. “They have been hungry in the offseason and preseason to prove themselves and build off last year’s success.”
Teams to beat: Hopkinton, Stevens, Mascenic
Division: III
Coach: Steve McDonough (6th year)
Last year: 10-9, reached second round
Returning starters: Jake Ellis, sr., G
Top newcomers: Drew Muzzey, jr., G/F; Ryan Chandler, fr., G/F; Jacob Miner, soph., F/C
Outlook: Laconia has just one starter back from last year’s group, but there are five other players on the roster with significant varsity experience – center Nick Drouin, guards Christian Gaspa and Jake Steele and guard/forwards Ryan Paiva and Ryan McCrea. The Sachems should be good defensively, and if they can find ways to score, they’ll be tough to beat.
“We are a young team that needs to learn and grow together,” McDonough said. “We have solid athletes that will grow into our system.”
Teams to beat: Kearsarge, Mascenic, Stevens, Inter-Lakes
Winnisquam
Division: III
Coach: Kevin Dame (6th year)
Last year: 17-3, reached quarterfinals
Returning starters: Mike Lowrey, sr., 5-11
Top newcomers: Avery Hutchinson, jr., 6-0; Eddie Gallien, jr., 6-0
Outlook: The Bears will have to adjust to life without Christian Serrano, the star guard who directed the offense for the last four years. Lowrey will lead that effort from the point guard spot he manned last year, but the rest of the roster will have to adjust to new roles.
“I feel that we have some very nice pieces, and if we can put them together by the end of the year, we could be a tough matchup,” Dame said.
Teams to beat: Kearsarge, Conant, Hopkinton, Inter-Lakes
Division: IV
Coach: Jason Darrah (15th year)
Last year: 6-13, reached tournament
Returning starters: Cameron Darrah, jr., PG, 5-9; Gabe Anthony, sr., F, 6-0; Dylan Bocash, soph., G, 6-0
Top newcomers: Matt St. George, jr., G, 5-7; Josh Whittier, jr., F, 6-4
Outlook: The Panthers have taken their lumps recently, winning just eight games over the last two seasons, but that experience should pay off this year. Cam Darrah is in line to score his 1,000th point midway through this season and he’ll be leading an athletic backcourt that also features Bocash, St. George, Casey Clark and Garrett Geurro-Hadley. The frontcourt, led by Anthony, is bolstered by the return of 6-4 junior Josh Whittier and 6-6 freshman Quinn Bissonenette.
“This team has evolved. They have put in the work and developed into a well-rounded basketball team,” Coach Darrah said.
Teams to beat: Groveton, Epping, Littleton, Wilton