After one month of action in the NHIAA boys basketball season, a clearer picture of the contenders is beginning to crystalize.
Neither Portsmouth and Bedford dropped a game in the two weeks since our previous set of rankings, and those two remain the current Division 1 frontrunners. Other talent-rich Division 1 teams have not started the season as smoothly, such as Bishop Guertin and Nashua South, but both squads have given reasons for optimism in recent days.
Meanwhile in the Division 2 ranks, Hollis-Brookline and Hanover have just one loss between them, and have an intriguing head-to-head matchup looming Friday.
Here are our latest rankings.
1. Portsmouth (7-0)
Previous rank: 1
Next game: vs. Manchester Memorial, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.
The past two weeks have been business as usual for the Clippers, who rolled to four double-digit wins to remain unbeaten and hold onto the top spot in the rankings. The scoring for Portsmouth continues to be powered by the star tandem of guard Isaiah Reis (17.5 points per game) and sophomore forward Derek Swartz (15.5). Each has delivered one big scoring performance apiece in the new year, with Reis dropping 30 points in a 66-56 win over Alvirne on Friday, and Swartz posting 26 points in a 73-52 win over Winnacunnet on Jan. 2.
2. Bedford (7-0)
Previous rank: 2
Next game: vs. Exeter, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.
After opening the season with two single-digit wins against Trinity and Pinkerton, the Bulldogs made a statement with a 89-58 victory over No. 5 Pinkerton on Jan. 6. Star senior guards Logan O'Connell and Landon Ellsmore both reached double figures in the Pinkerton win, but there were two promising players behind them who impressed — junior Ali Shoukier, who exploded for 27 points, and sophomore Luke O’Connell, who added 17 points. The array of weapons makes the defending Division 1 champs an extremely challenging matchup.
3. Trinity (5-2)
Previous rank: 4
Next game: vs. Merrimack, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
After dropping two of their first three games in December, including a 45-30 loss to Winnacunnet, the Pioneers have found their groove in January. Trinity is now riding a four-game winning streak, highlighted by double-digit wins over No. 4 Bishop Guertin and No. 9 Nashua South. Star junior Jordan Torres, who averaged just 8.5 points across the first three games, has heated up with 21 points in a win against Dover on Jan. 2 and 24 points against Nashua South on Jan. 9. Senior Xander McBournie has also displayed an ability as a lead scoring option, posting 24 points in the Bishop Guertin win.
4. Bishop Guertin (4-3)
Previous rank: 6
Next game: at Dover, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
All three of Bishop Guertin's losses have come to the teams ranked above them, which includes a six-point defeat to Bedford on Dec. 19 — the closest any opponent has played the Bulldogs so far. The Cardinals suffered a setback with a 71-57 loss to Trinity on Jan. 6, but responded Tuesday with their most impressive performance to date in a 78-75 win over No. 5 Pinkerton. The senior guard tandem of Eli Youssef (24 points) and Connor McGowan (17 points) led the way for the Cardinals, and McGowan is averaging 25.7 points per game across the team’s first seven contests.
5. Pinkerton (7-2)
Previous rank: 3
Next game: at Manchester Central, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
After getting off to a roaring 5-0 start in December, Pinkerton has slowed down slightly with a 31-point blowout loss to No. 2 Bedford and a tight 78-75 defeat to No. 4 Bishop Guertin on Tuesday. The Astros still have proven they are in the mix of Division 1 contenders, led by the three established scoring threats in senior Brady Sullivan (18.5 points per game), sophomore Josh Phanor (15.4), and senior Wilson Youssef (14.4).
6. Exeter (4-2)
Previous rank: 5
Next game: at Bedford, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.
Exeter’s most impressive showing of the season came in a 69-42 blowout win over Windham on Jan. 6, before the team suffered a surprise 61-47 loss to Dover just days later. The Blue Hawks’ balanced scoring attack is evident in their points per game totals, which is currently led by senior Huxley Brown at 13.9 points per game but has no other players averaging double figures. An upcoming three-game gauntlet will give a good indication of Exeter’s ceiling, with matchups ahead against No. 2 Bedford, No. 3 Trinity, and No. 4 Bishop Guertin.
7. Hollis-Brookline (7-0)
Previous rank: 8
Next game: at Hanover, Jan. 16, 6 p.m.
The Cavaliers’ unbeaten start has cemented them at the front of the pack in Division 2, with all but one of those wins coming by double digits. The offense is cruising behind the duo of junior James Arthur (15.9 points per game) and senior Alton Williams (16.1 points per game), along with a strong supporting cast. Its next major test will come in a matchup Friday against No. 9 Hanover, which may be its toughest matchup of the regular season.
8. Nashua South (3-3)
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: at Windham, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
It has been an up-and-down start for the Panthers, who have slid down a couple spots in each of the first two updates to these rankings. Five of their six games have been decided by single-digit margins, which in recent weeks includes a 62-61 win over No. 10 Keene on Jan. 2 and a 69-64 win over Londonderry on Tuesday, but also a 67-64 loss to Alvirne on Jan. 6. There is still a lot of high-end, proven varsity talent on this roster, led so far this season by juniors Daniel Karavanic (16.8 points per game) and Shane Lemire (14.6 points per game).
9. Hanover (5-1)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: vs. Hollis-Brookline, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
Hanover’s identity is a tough, defensive-minded group, and that has been proven out so far this season — they’ve held their opponents to 40 points or less in five of six games. The Bears' most impressive win of the season is an opening-night victory over Pelham, another Division 2 title contender, but they’ve also posted strong double-digit wins against Lebanon and Bow in January. The scoring effort is led by senior Roy Lucas at 16.0 points per game, which is a step up from last year’s 12.3 points per game mark, and senior Wyatt Daigle (11.2 points per game) and sophomore Colin McLaughlin (8.2 points per game) have also chipped in.
10. Keene (4-3)
Previous ranking: 9
Next game: at Salem, Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.
The Blackbirds opened the season with back-to-back disappointing losses to Merrimack and Manchester Memorial, but have picked things up since. They opened January with a 62-61 loss to No. 8 Nashua South, before logging three straight wins over Goffstown, Concord and Timberlane. Star senior Jamal Stanely has found his groove, logging 27 points against Timberlane, 20 points against Concord, and 20 against Nashua South. Senior Alex Holmes has also upped his scoring efforts, leading the team with 22 points against Concord and 20 against Goffstown.
The next five: Pelham, Alvirne, Manchester West, Windham, Goffstown
