Razor-thin margins defined the 2025 NHIAA boys’ basketball postseason in both Division 1 and Division 2, and fans should expect similarly competitive leagues in the coming year.
Many of the same programs will be in the state title mix, with Division 1 semifinalist Portsmouth the preseason favorite after returning its entire rotation and defending champion Bedford retaining its top two scorers as it looks to reload for another deep run.
Pinkerton had a down season last year after turning over much of its 2024 state championship roster, but should return to Division 1 contender status, and defending Division 2 champion Pembroke underwent some changes but will lead the way in a deep and parity-filled league.
Below is our ranking of the NHIAA’s top 10 teams entering the season.
1. Portsmouth
Division 1
Last season: 15-3
After reaching the Division 1 Final Four last season with no seniors, Portsmouth returns its entire rotation and has state championship-level expectations. Derek Swartz, a 6-foot-5 sophomore forward, averaged 17 points as a freshman and has received multiple high-major college offers following a monster summer. Senior guard Isaiah Reis is a three-level scorer who averaged 21 points last season and is the only returning player from the 2024-25 Division 1 first team. Derek’s older brother, senior big Ryan Swartz, averaged double figures last year and will provide energy and secondary scoring, and coach John Mulvey expects 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Finn McCauley to take a leap offensively after his primary impact as a freshman came on the defensive end.
2. Trinity
Division 1
Last season: 14-4
Trinity earned the No. 3 seed in Division 1 last season before falling to Keene by one point in the quarterfinals, and returns its entire nucleus except for star guard Shawn O'Neil. Junior guard Jordan Torres will take on the lead scoring role, after he averaged over 14 points last season and was the state’s lone sophomore to earn a Division 1 honorable mention. Junior guard Collin Charbeneau averaged 11 points last year and shot 42 percent from three-point range in his debut season with the program, and senior guard Xander McBournie is also lights-out from deep. The X-factor is the return of senior guard Kevin Doherty, who was the team’s second-leading scorer as a sophomore in the 2023-24 campaign but missed all of last season with a knee injury.
3. Bedford
Division 1
Last season: 15-3
The reigning state champions lost three starters from last year’s squad, including third-leading scorer Wiji Dak as a transfer to Tilton, but they return their top two players in senior guards Logan O’Connell and Landon Ellsmore. O’Connell is a pure-scoring guard who averaged 17 points last season and earned second team Division 1 honors, and Ellsmore averaged 13 points last year and doubles as the team’s defensive anchor. Two-way junior guard Ali Shoukier will step into a larger role as a full-time starter and floor general. Also expected to see increased roles are sophomore guard Luke O'Connell, Logan’s younger brother and a standout shooter, and 6-foot-6 sophomore Ryan O'Rourke, who will provide length and athleticism in the frontcourt.
4. Keene
Division 1
Last season: 13-5
Keene put together a dramatic postseason run last year before falling to Bedford by one point in the Division 1 championship game, and graduated Division 1 first team selection Javon Massiah and honorable mention Fitch Hennessey. Still, Keene returns a formidable senior-laden group and expectations remain high. Senior guard Jamal Stanely was second on last year’s team at 13 points per game and also earned a spot on the Division 1 All-Defensive Team, and he will take over the lead scoring responsibilities in addition to anchoring the defense. The other returning starter is senior guard Kasen Abbott, a knock-down shooter who will complement Stanley in the backcourt. Alex Holmes, a 6-foot-4 guard/forward, played a key role on last year’s team and provides coach Ray Boulay with versatility. Two seniors also expected to see increased roles are 6-foot-5 wing Rhys Fontaine and bruising 6-foot-4 big man Gus Smith.
5. Bishop Guertin
Division 1
Last season: 10-8
Bishop Guertin had a solid 2024-25 campaign before falling to Windham by 15 points in the opening round of the Division 1 tournament, but expectations are high with the return of senior guard tandem Connor McGowan and Eli Youssef. The high-motor McGowan averaged 22 points per game last year and was a Division 1 second teamer, and Youssef averaged 13 points per game and coach Wil Horne believes an improvement in his shooting will help him ascend this season. Last year’s third-leading scorer was Luca Fabrizio, who started every game as a sophomore and will function as a true point guard in his junior campaign. Senior Sam Woodward, an all-state high jumper, also enters his third year as a key rotation member and functions as the team’s all-around “workhorse,” as described by Horne.
6. Nashua South
Division 1
Last season: 14-4
Nashua South fell in the Division 1 quarterfinals last year and graduated reigning Division 1 player of the year Josh Caruso, but expects to remain equally competitive with its next four leading scorers returning. That starts with junior forward Daniel Karavanic, who plays with guard skills at 6-foot-7 but also added strength this offseason to play around the rim more. Senior guard Josh Tripp averaged 10 points per game and was a Division 1 honorable mention last season, and he will run the offense and guard the opposing team’s best player on most nights. Junior wing Francisco Rodriguez is a long, athletic defender who can also attack the rim, and coach Nate Mazerolle expects his scoring average to climb substantially from the 4.9 points per game mark last season. Junior wing Shane Lemire also played a key role last year, and will provide a shooting touch and quality defense.
7. Pinkerton
Division 1
Last season: 5-13
After winning the Division 1 state title in 2024, Pinkerton turned over much of its rotation last season and didn’t qualify for the state tournament. That development should pay off this year, with the team’s top five scorers all returning and expectations once again to compete for a home playoff game. Senior guard Brady Sullivan averaged nearly 18 points per game last season and earned a Division 1 honorable mention, and guard Josh Phanor averaged 13 points per game last year as a freshman behind lights-out shooting and added strength this offseason. Senior Wilson Youssef was third on the team averaging 8.3 points last year, and will step into the lead point guard role. Senior defensive anchor Ryan Bonilla and junior sharpshooter Ryder Hawkes also averaged 7 points apiece last season, and 6-foot-4 center Adam Ajuz and 6-foot-4 wing Malik Solomon will both take on bigger roles and provide size.
8. Exeter
Division 1
Last season: 14-4
Exeter reached the semifinals last season behind Division 1 first-teamer Nate McNeff and honorable mention Nik Greco, both of whom graduated. The duo’s scoring prowess won’t be replaced by any one player, though Exeter returns a deep team and has lots of size. Leading the way is 6-foot-6 junior center Jack Thibodeau, a three-year varsity player who was the team’s third-leading scorer last season at just over seven points per game. Junior guard Tyler Ream will step into a bigger offensive role after averaging six points last year, and 6-foot-4 senior forward Huxley Brown and 6-foot-5 senior forward Nate Tomasi will both take on added responsibility in the frontcourt. The guard rotation will also include senior Agee Griffith and junior Jackson McDonald, both of whom came off the bench last season.
9. Pembroke
Division 2
Last season: 16-2
Parity abounds at the top of Division 2, but defending state champion Pembroke is an early front-runner despite losing the division’s reigning player of the year Evan Berkeley and second-teamer Devin Riel. The headliner is pure-shooting junior guard Andrew Fitzgerald, a Division 2 honorable mention who was second on the team at 11.9 points per game last season and delivered big performances in the semifinal and state championship game. Senior big Javien Sinclair provides elite rim protection and rebounding at 6-foot-4 and can extend his range beyond the arc, and Cilley envisions him contending for Division 2 statewide honors. Senior Zach Bemis will have an increased role as a lead guard after being the team’s fourth-leading scorer last season.
10. Windham
Division 1
Last season: 10-8
Windham had a solid 2024-25 season and fell to eventual champion Bedford in the second round. Gone are leading scorer and Division 1 honorable mention Jack Koutrobis and All-Defensive Team selection Jack Murphy, who both graduated. Still, the team returns its second- and third-leading scorers from last season and should remain competitive. Junior wing Sam Roidoulis is ultra athletic at 6-foot-4 and averaged a 10 point, 10 rebound double-double last season — both numbers that coach Carson Derosiers expects to increase. Senior guard Tyler Jordan is one of the state’s top shooters and also has improved his playmaking each season, and he will draw more defensive attention this year as a lead option. Junior wing Brandon Jacobs averaged 8.3 points last season and provides athleticism in the frontcourt, and senior Jack Steffanides has been a longtime member of the program but will see an increased role in the guard rotation.
