Around the Granite State: Milford girls, Nashua North boys win Nashua Holiday Tournament

NASHUA – The Milford High School girls basketball team scored 23 points over the final 11-plus minutes Saturday to come back to beat Alvirne 38-35 in the championship game of the Nashua Holiday Basketball Tournament at Nashua High School South.

The Spartans didn’t take their first lead until the final 20 seconds of the third quarter, as they used a 10-2 run to end the frame to grab a 25-24 lead going into the fourth. The run extended to 15-2 as Milford took its largest lead, 30-24, with just over six minutes left.

Alvirne cut the lead down to one point twice and twice had a chance to tie or take the lead, but couldn’t capitalize.

Alexia Bausha scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in the second half and Ellianna Nassy was also in double figures with 12 points. Shea Hansen added eight points, including two 3-pointers, all in the fourth quarter.

Courtney Anderson led Alvirne with 14 points and Julia Adams chipped in eight points.

Anderson had a chance to tie the game with 30 seconds left, but made just the first of two free throws to keep it a 36-35 lead for Milford. The Broncos got the ball of the miss, but a 3-point attempt by Haylie Christman was off the mark and Milford’s Avery Fuller grabbed the rebound.

Hansen made a pair of free throws with 11.8 seconds left to make it a three-point game and a 3 attempt by Anderson wouldn’t go in just before the buzzer to clinch the win for Milford. It’s the second time in three seasons the Spartans have won the tournament title.

Boys Championship: Nashua North 47, Nashua South 44

Robinson Rodriguez scored 23 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead the Titans past the Panthers and to North’s second tournament title in three years.

Luke Peters added 11 points and Alize Roig-Cortes added six points for the Titans, who led by 10 points at the end of the first quarter, but were up just two at halftime.

South got 16 points from Josh Caruso, including two 3s, while Josh Tripp had six of his 10 points in the fourth quarter. Shane Lemire also had seven points, including a 3.

The Panthers outscored the Titans, 25-10, over a 12-minute stretch through the second and third quarters to take a 31-26 lead. But North responded by closing out the third with a 12-5 run, with Rodriguez scored 10 points during that stretch, to take a 38-36 lead.

North went scoreless for more than four minutes to start the fourth, but South could only muster a 7-0 run to take a 43-38 lead with 3:55 left. A 9-1 run by the Titans gave them a 47-44 lead in the final minute and a last-second 3 by South’s Ayden Clough was off the mark.

Girls Consolation: Nashua North 53, Nashua South 40

The Titans led by 19 points at halftime, saw the Panthers cut that lead to three twice in the second half, but held on to win the consolation game at the Nashua Holiday Tournament.

Freshman Madelyn Tino led North with 16 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, as she was 5 for 5 from the line in the final frame. Angela King hit five 3-pointers to add 15 points for the Titans.

South got 16 points from Nicole De Jesus, all of which came in the second half, while Amber Wong had nine points on three 3-pointers and Addie Borden finished with eight.

North led 25-6 at the break, thanks to a 14-1 run midway through the first half and an 8-0 run to close it out. South opened the third quarter with an 18-2 run to cut the lead to 27-24 with 3:32 left in the frame.

The Titans got the lead back up to 12 points in the final minute of the third, but the Panthers ended with a 6-0 run to make it 41-35 going into the fourth. A 3 by De Jesus with just over six minutes to play made it 43-40 North, but South was unable to score the rest of the way.

Boys Consolation: Souhegan 44, Milford 15

Joseph Mayo had 10 points and was the only player in double figures to lead the Sabers to a win over the Spartans.

Souhegan led 24-9 at halftime and cruised in the second half to the win. Max Hayes and Drew Reagan each had six points for the Sabers, who led throughout.

Milford got five points from Ethan Szopa and three from Tyler Constable.

Girls Basketball

Exeter gets two more wins

The Blue Hawks wrapped up the Cougar Classic at Derryfield with two more wins, beating the hosts 73-52 on Saturday and then knocking off Merrimack 71-35 on Sunday.

Against Derryfield, Anna McGuiness led the way with 19 points while Nicole Melick added 16 points, including 8 of 9 at the free throw line.

Emma Gillis and Jessica Melick added 10 points apiece while Karlie Scherpf, Lexy Rogers and Emme Kayes played well defensively.

Against Merrimack, McGuiness again was the leading scorer with 16 points and Rogers added 13 points and five steals. Scherpf chipped in 11 markers and five assists while Jessica Melick had seven rebounds.

Souhegan finishes out tourney

The Sabers wrapped up the Doug Chandler Holiday Tournament with a pair of losses, but had their highest-scoring game in two seasons.

On Saturday, Souhegan had a chance to make it a one-possession game late, but fell to Lebanon 35-29. Caroline Brum and Phoebe Faucher each had seven points to lead the Sabers.

On Sunday, Souhegan fell behind by 14 in the first quarter before coming back against Manchester Memorial. The Sabers were unable to come all the way back, though, falling 58-52, but the 52 points was the highest total in two years.

Faucher finished with 19 points, including two 3-pointers, while Tess Jancar added seven points and Hannah Stone and Neveya Mortimer had six each.

Spaulding 40, Winnacunnet 35

The Red Raiders wrapped up the Oyster River Holiday Tournament on Saturday with a win over the Warriors. The game was tied at 24 going into the fourth quarter.

Ava Damon led Spaulding with 12 points, hitting two 3s and going 4 of 6 at the line, while Meagan Uraskevich had nine points, including two 3s.

Kate Starr had 11 points for Winnacunnet while Ari Bennett finished in double figures with 10 points.

Londonderry Holiday Tournament

• Bedford wrapped up the tournament with a pair of wins, beating Barrington (50-42) on Saturday and Bishop Feehan, of Attleboro, Mass., (61-49) on Sunday. Against Barrington, Kate Allard led the way with 15 points and Mel McCarthy had 13. Against Bishop Feehan, Allard led the way with 19 and McCarthy had 14 while Annie Zink chipped in 11 points.
• Pinkerton also finished with a pair of wins, knocking off LaSalle (66-37) on Saturday and Barrington (49-23) on Sunday. Against LaSalle, Sydney Gerossie had 18 points and Brooke Benz finished with 10 markers. Against Barrington, Gerossie had 25 points while Benz chipped in eight.
• Londonderry split its final two games at the tournament, falling to Bishop Feehan (64-62 in OT) on Saturday while beating LaSalle (52-20) on Sunday. Against Bishop Feehan, Sammie Sullivan had a game-high 28 points while Brooke Eacrett and Gemma Murray each had 12. Against LaSalle, Sullivan finished 16 and Murray added 13.