NHIAA Season Review

by Jeremy Leveille | Monday, March 19th, 2012

NHIAA Division 1 – Merrimack 65 Manchester Central 56

Dimitri Floras scored 18 of his game-high 23 points in the 2nd half, including two clutch three-pointers in the 4th quarter to give Merrimack a double digit lead. Central gave it everything they had, but the trio of Floras and the Gendron brothers Eric (16 points) and Tyler (10 points) was just too much to handle.

This game was played in front of a packed house at UNH. Central beat Trinity in double-OT in the semi-finals, with junior wing Troy Pelletier scoring a total of 41 points for Central in the final four. This was a very well played game, as the two teams combined for just nine total turnovers and not one player on either team fouled out.

NHIAA Division 2 – Portsmouth 58 Bedford 33

Senior guard Kamahl Walker had a big game for the Clippers, with a game-high 22 points to go with 6 steals, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Walker hit a buzzer-beater at the end of the 1st half from eight feet behind the three-point line. Portsmouth went up 40-16 in the 3rd quarter and cruised to the win from there.

The Clippers forced Bedford into 27 turnovers. Bedford 6’8” senior forward Trevor Fahmy had 9 points and 9 rebounds in the loss, and in the semi-finals he had 21 points, 15 rebounds and 8 blocks. Sophomore guard Cameron Meservey had strong 2nd half for the Bulldogs with 9 points and 5 rebounds for a Bedford team that is only in its 4th year as a varsity program.

NHIAA Division 3 – Berlin 53 Prospect Mountain 51

Prospect Mt. led for most of the game, but a half court buzzer beater-by Curtis Arsenault ignited a 4th quarter comeback for Berlin. Arsenault (who is doing a post-grad year next season at Phillips Exeter) overcame a tough 1st half to dominate the 2nd half along with teammate Sam Aldrich. Arsenault had 15 points, Aldrich had 18 and sharpshooting guard Jake Drouin had 12 points including a couple of clutch threes late in the game.

It was the most intense, exciting championship game in the NHIAA this season, with six ties and eight lead changes. Prospect Mt. was led by Pat Cassidy’s 15 points and strong play from Zach Drouin and Austin Perrin.

NHIAA Division 4 – Moultonborough 54 Littleton 50

Moultonborough overcame foul trouble to their best player Marcus Swedberg to win the title and complete a perfect 22-0 season. Swedberg still managed 14 points and 9 rebounds, and when he was on the bench with foul trouble his younger brother Drew Swedberg stepped up, scoring all 13 of his points in the 2nd half. Sam Brammer had a game-high 22 points in the loss for Littleton. These two teams had a combined record of 42-2 on the season, and Moultonborough was the only unbeaten team in the NHIAA this winter.

NERR’s All-NHIAA Team

Dimitri Floras, 6’1 junior (Merrimack) – Floras was the story going into the season as he decided to transfer back to Merrimack High after starting off the school year at Kimball Union Academy. Then a few games into the season he suffered a wrist injury that caused him to miss 10 games. But once he returned to the lineup he showed why he is hands down the best player in the NHIAA, putting the Tomahawks on his back and carrying them to the Division I title. Floras makes the game look easy, he has a great handle and the knack for hitting the big shot.

Kamahl Walker, 5’10” senior (Portsmouth) – Walker had 38 points during a game this season, and was often times Portsmouth’s leading scorer. However as good he is at scoring he has also shown the ability to make his teammates better with some great passes in transition and is a ball hawk on the defensive end. The lefty has a killer pull-up jumper and has great quickness in the open floor.

Ryan Gauthier, 5’11” senior (Nashua North) – This kid just has an extra gear and is able to play at a speed faster than most players from the Granite State. He pushes the ball extremely quickly on the break and does a great job of keeping his head up when leading the break and keeps defenses off balance because they never know who he will pass the ball to or if he’ll keep it himself for an athletic finish in the lane.

Troy Pelletier, 6’3” junior (Manchester Central) – Pelletier had a strong regular season, emerging as Central’s best and most consistent player. But in the D-I semi-finals a star was officially born, as Pelletier put his team on his back and carried them to a double-OT win, scoring 26 points against a Trinity team that had the toughest defense in the state. He slashed to the rim, his threes and also displayed an impressive mid-range game.

Matt Barr, 6’1” junior (Exeter) – Barr doesn’t get as much recognition as he should because he was on a losing team, but make no mistake he had a big year, emerging as one of the NHIAA’s top talents. His Exeter squad was the #16 seed in the D-I tournament, and they came THIS close to upsetting #1 seed Trinity. Barr dropped 35 points that game, and the game before that vs. Dover he scored 36. The kid can flat out shoot the basketball and has a series of dribble-drive moves to free up looks in the lane. Look out for him an the AAU circuit as he is set to run with another talented MB Nation squad.

Trevor Fahmy, 6’8” senior (Bedford) – The big man just keeps getting better and is now a dominant force on the low block. He has emerged as the NHIAA’s top post player, and in the semi-final win over Hanover he exploded for 21 points, 15 boards and 8 blocks. Fahmy runs the floor well, has developed solid foot work and really crashes the boards on both ends of the floor.

To read more of Jeremy's coverage of the New Hampshire basketball recruiting scene, visit the New Hampshire Notebook at www.nhnotebook.com