Milford, Thornton pick up wins at Chick-Fil-A basketball tournament

NASHUA – The Milford High School boys basketball team looked like it might be in for a rough day early on Tuesday against Goffstown.

The Spartans fell behind early and trailed the Grizzlies for most of the first half, but got a spark just before halftime to take a one-point lead into the break.

From there, Milford did just enough to stay a step ahead and defeated Goffstown 50-46 in the day’s first game of the Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament at Nashua South.

Ryan Banuskevich and Jack Briggs each had 12 points to lead the Spartans, who were able to hold their own inside against the Grizzlies despite a noticeable size disadvantage.

“We were kind of flat,” Milford coach Dan Murray said. “Not a lot of life, but we went to the bench at the end of the first quarter and that brought some life. We did a good job on the boards.

“We said that at halftime, it was just that the lack of intensity and fire. It was good individual stuff, but it doesn’t cut it when you play the big boys.”

Milford will plat for fifth place at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday against Thornton Academy, which defeated Souhegan 57-45 in the second game on Tuesday. Souhegan and Goffstown will meet at 3 p.m. in a battle for seventh place.

Despite trailing for most of the first half, the Spartans were able to grab the lead at halftime after a fastbreak layup by Max Urda made it 20-19 at the break. Milford opened the third quarter with an 8-2 run and was able to hang on to the lead the rest of the way.

“We just had to move the ball and find the open shot,” Banuskevich said of the second half. “All of us (can jump), we’re a pretty athletic team, we can get rebounds. Boxing out is a big for us. That helped us.”

Goffstown got 12 points from Tim Comeau while Robert Girardin had 11 points and Mike Bailey scored eight. The Grizzlies played most of the game without Casey Gervais, who appeared to suffer an ankle injury in the first half.

A 3-pointer by Nick Gutterson to open the fourth quarter put Milford up 43-33, but Goffstown went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to one with 3:42 to go on two free throws by Comeau.

The Spartans finally broke the dry spell with a jumper by Banuskevich to go back up three. Comeau was fouled on a layup with 1:12 to play to make it 45-44, but missed the free throw to tie it, and Milford was able to hold on for the win.

In the second game, Souhegan took a 22-21 lead into halftime despite trailing for most of the second quarter.

Thornton retook the lead at the start of the third, going on a 10-2 run to go up 31-24 with 5:11 left in the frame. The Sabers hung around, going on a 12-4 run of their own to take a 41-40 lead with 7:03 remaining in the game.

But the Trojans took over the rest of the way, tying the game on the next possession and taking the lead for good on a basket by Jack Tilley with 6:12 to play.

Thornton finished the game on a 17-4 run, and got 15 points from Tilley. John Fogg was also in double figures with 11.

Souhegan got 20 points from Jerrell Webster, but only one of those game in the fourth quarter. Raju Gandhi added eight points for the Sabers.