Merrimack girls basketball secures home playoff game in big win over Keene
MERRIMACK – The Merrimack High School girls basketball team entered Saturday’s game motivated to earn a home playoff contest, while Keene, who was already out of playoff contention, looked to play spoiler.
Merrimack took that motivation and never looked back.
The Tomahawks got out to big lead in the first quarter and ran away with a 58-22 victory over the Blackbirds. The win wrapped up the No. 7 seed for Merrimack, which will likely host Manchester Central in the first round.
“I usually do not tell my team when something big like this is on the line,” Merrimack coach Courtney Cheetham said. “However, when I got into the locker room the girls had done the math themselves excited that they could host a playoff game. I was proud of them.”
Merrimack was led early by the outside shooting of junior Sara Wozniack. Woznick gave the Tomahawks their first lead of the contest with her first 3-pointer with six minutes in the first quarter, giving Merrimack a 5-4 edge. The Tomahawks never trailed again.
Merrimack (9-9) jumped out to a 22-8 first quarter lead and expanded the score with a 16-0 second quarter making the contest 38-8 at halftime. In the first half, Merrimack was very balanced with no player scoring more than eight points and eight different Tomahawks scoring.
The Blackbirds (4-14) west seemed to struggle against Merrimack’s defense, with at several points coming from Keene not being able to get the ball past half court.
Merrimack’s suffocating press defense created many turnovers simply on the inbound passes after a made basket. Keene was unable to use a distinct size advantage, but the Blackbirds could not keep up with Merrimack’s speed and position defense.
In the second half, Merrimack continued its great execution leading a final score of 58-22. More impressive than the margin of victory was the Tomahawks balanced scoring. Merrimack was led by Jenna Chambers, who had 14 points, but many other players made solid contributions.
Wozniack finished with nine, while front count player Abby Yuan finished the game with eight, as nine different Tomahawks contributed to the scoreboard in the victory.
“When our team is so balanced it is really hard to guard us,” Cheetham said. “These juniors started off with two wins as freshman, a playoff win on the road as sophomores, and now get to host a playoff game. I am also extremely happy for our one senior (Amanda D’Amico) that she gets to play another game on our home court.”
With the victory Merrimack has clinched the seventh seed looks onto their first round playoff matchup, while Keene hopes that its returning talent, as the Blackbirds only had one senior, and puts them in a position for a playoff run next season.
