At a season’s tip-off, any team has a chance to make a run and win it all. But this past campaign was expected as a three-legged race between Gilford, Hopkinton and Kearsarge as Division III’s heavyweights.
Much of that panned out according to plan as Gilford won its third consecutive championship, Kearsarge experienced a season-ending-turned-into-playoff run that won’t soon be forgotten and Hopkinton was on the wrong end in February madness with an early exit in the tournament.
In terms of local flavor, four teams total made it into postseason play, and others will look to continue to make the next step into developing.
A look at the area’s D-III boys’ hoops squads from this season:
Key game: A 45-42 win over Mascoma in the D-III semifinals.
Key moment: Fourth-quarter performance in the Cougars’ semifinal win over Mascoma.
Season end: Loss to Gilford (46-38) in the state championship.
Final marks: Ultimately, the runner-up finish wasn’t the desired end result for Kearsarge and coach Nate Camp, but the thrill of getting to championship Saturday is one that will last a lifetime. The Cougars’ senior class was as star-studded as they come; Chris Stanchfield, Sam Carl and George Jallah each earned all-state nods for their play throughout the season, but it was deeper than those three in the class of nine. Adrian McCarthy, Bobby Needham, Connor Pillsbury and John Chambers also aided with the Cougars’ run and will be difficult to replace next season.
Key game: February’s 59-55 win at Kearsarge.
Key moment: Sweeping the season series against Kearsarge.
Season end: Quarterfinal loss to Mascoma (48-40).
Final marks: Brendan Elrick has been the Hawks’ darling the moment his 6-foot-8 frame stepped onto the court. He collected a slew of awards this season, most recently Mr. New Hampshire basketball, and all were well-deserved. Hopkinton dominated throughout the regular season, and its only losses came against eventual state champion Gilford and a one-point defeat to Monadnock. The Hawks’ season ended earlier than expected, however, after they were upset by Mascoma in the quarterfinals. Hopkinton’s hoops program now is searching for replacements for Elick, six other seniors and coach Steve Signor, who stepped down at season’s end.
Key game: January’s 54-36 win over Raymond to cap off a four-game win streak.
Key moment: February’s 13-point win over D-IV Franklin, the Bears’ last victory of the season.
Season end: Preliminary-round loss to Monadnock, 43-34.
Final marks: Back-to-back seasons with a tournament appearance but a tough draw was the story for Winnisquam. A year ago, the Bears played champion Gilford in the first round and, this season, it was 13-win Monadnock. Caleb Bushway and his play for the Bears earned him All-State Honorable Mention, and coach Kevin Dame will be tasked with finding replacements for Bushway and three other seniors.
Key game: January’s 42-41 win at Mascenic to snap an eight-game losing streak.
Key moment: Six-game win streak that established the playoff resume.
Season end: Preliminary round loss to Campbell (65-52).
Final marks: It was a season of streaks for the Red Raiders. They started the season with an eight-game losing streak and then snapped it with a six-game win streak that helped position them for a playoff appearance as one of the final seeds in the tournament. Led by Keegan Martinez and Sam Reposa, both of whom earned All-State Honorable Mention, the Raiders ended the season with big motivation for a productive offseason.
Key game: January’s 53-48 win over Fall Mountain.
Key moment: Scoring a team-high 70 points against Newfound on Feb. 9 in the Hillcats’ last home game.
Season end: Loss at Mascenic (56-48) in the regular-season finale.
Final marks: Hillsboro-Deering’s 70-point performance against Newfound served as a real highlight and feel-good moment for the program. Not only was that the Hillcats’ most points scored in a game this season, but the win that came with it doubled last season’s win total. First-year coach Chris Davies and his program will look to see more growth during the offseason.