Top seeds in line to make for an exciting run in D2 boys basketball tourney

The similarities between the Division II boys and girls basketball regular season aren’t hard to miss.

With the boys set to get started, the top three seeds all enter with a combined record of 51-3, and all three have for the most part handled the competition all season.

While the high-end talent led to a lack of upsets during the first two rounds of the girls tournament – only one road team, fifth-seeded John Stark, won in the first or second round – things could be different on the boys side. Three of the double-digit seeds pulled off wins earlier in the year against their higher-seeded opponent, and while the odds of an upset may seem small, an eye must be kept on all first-round games.

The tournament gets underway on Wednesday with seven preliminary round games. Winners will advance to the quarterfinals on Saturday, with the semifinals scheduled for March 11 and the championship on tap for March 16, both at the University of New Hampshire.

Here’s a look at the first-round matchups.

No. 9 Kearsarge (10-8) at No. 8 Souhegan (11-7)

• Previous meeting: Souhegan won on the road 63-45 on Jan. 31.
• The Cougars were consistent down the stretch, going 5-4 in their final nine games and scoring 54 points or more in seven of them. After giving up an average of 54.8 points per game through its first nine, Keasarge cut more than three points off that average in the second half of the season.
• The Sabers had one of the tougher regular-season schedules in the division, having to play all but three of this year’s playoff teams, including two games against ConVal. Souhegan was 5-7 in those games and enters the tournament battle tested. When the Sabers were strong defensively, the outcome was good, as they were 9-2 in games in which they allowed 50 or fewer points.

No. 13 Hollis Brookline (9-9) at No. 4 Pelham (15-3)

• Previous meeting: Hollis Brookline won at home 58-57 on Dec. 21.
• The Cavaliers win in the regular season was part of a 4-0 start and made it look like HB was on track to defend its title. But winning just five more games the rest of the way, including two in the final seven, puts the Cavs in a tough position entering the postseason. HB has been inconsistent offensively, topping 60 points six times this year, but scoring fewer than 45 six times.
• The Pythons enter the postseason having won 12 of their final 13 games, and took an 11-game win streak into the final week of the regular season. Pelham averaged 64.1 points per game during the year, but scored just 39 against Merrimack Valley in that loss in its next-to-last game. The Pythons had five games decided by five points or less, going 4-1 in those contests.

No. 12 Coe-Brown (9-9) at No. 5 Merrimack Valley (13-5)

• Previous meeting: Merrimack Valley won at home 56-50 on Feb. 8.
• The Bears backed into the postseason, losing their final three games and five of eight overall, including the loss to the Pride. The other four losses were against the top three seeds, ConVal, Pembroke and Oyster River (twice). Coe-Brown can put up points, topping 60 six times this year, but in the Bears’ final nine games, the scored 51 or fewer eight times.
• The Pride turned in a solid second half to the season, going 7-2, but the two losses were against Milford and Plymouth, two teams that tied for the final playoff spot and went 12-24. Merrimack Valley turned in its most impressive performance in the finale, holding Pelham to more than 25 points below its average.

No. 15 Milford (6-12) at No. 2 ConVal (17-1)

• Previous meeting: Milford won at home 62-54 on Dec. 20.
• That win over ConVal might have been the high point of the season for the Spartans, who entered the tournament having lost seven in a row and eight of their last nine. Scoring has been a problem since the midpoint of the season, as Milford averaged 41.6 points per game during the losing streak. Oddly enough, four of the Spartans six wins have been against playoff teams.
• Since dropping their only game of the year to the Spartans back before Christmas, the Cougars have 16 games in a row and will be hosting a playoff games for the first time since 2000. While ConVal has put up points, averaging 61.9 per game, the defense has been stellar, as the loss to Milford was the only time this year the Cougars allowed more than 60.

No. 10 Bishop Brady (10-8) at No. 7 Lebanon (12-6)

• Previous meeting: Bishop Brady won at home 53-47 on Jan. 11.
• The Giants win over the Raiders was part of a solid January that helped them overcome an 0-3 start to the season. Bishop Brady went 5-3 in the month, with the three losses coming against Merrimack Valley, ConVal and Oyster River. Bishop Brady was 10-1 when allowing fewer than 60 points this season.
• The Raiders regular season broke down into three parts – the 6-2 start, the midseason stretch of four losses in five games, and then a five-game win streak to end the season. The key for Lebanon seems to be breaking the 60-point plateau. The Raiders were 9-0 when scoring at least that many points, while going just 3-6 when scoring less than 60.

No. 14 John Stark (8-10) at No. 3 Pembroke (17-1)

• Previous meeting: Pembroke won on the road 58-32 on Dec. 18.
• The Generals had a tough start to the season, losing to Oyster Rive and Pembroke in the first week and starting the year 2-7. But John Stark turned things around in the second half of the regular season, winning six of its final nine games, including road wins over Milford and Kearsarge to secure a playoff spot.
• Like Oyster River and ConVal, the Spartans enter the tournament on a lengthy win streak (12 games). During that stretch, Pembroke has been hitting on all cylinders on offense, averaging 66.3 points per game, and scoring less than that just three times. The defense has been solid all year, as the Spartans allowed 60 points twice all season.

No. 11 Hanover (9-9) at No. 6 Kennett (12-6)

• Previous meeting: Kennett won at home 70-54 on Feb. 16.
• The Marauders started off the season well, winning seven of their first nine games, but Hanover faced a tough schedule down the stretch to finish at .500. All of Hanover’s final nine games were against playoff teams, top five seeds ConVal, Pelham and Merrimack Valley. The Marauders averaged 62.7 points per game this year and allowed 59.3.
• The Eagles entered the tournament as hot as any team not in the top three, winning five straight and seven of their last eight. In fact, since a 3-4 start to the season, Kennett won nine of its final 14 games, but only one of those was against a playoff team – Hanover. During that stretch, the Eagles allowed an average of 40.4 points per game.

Bye: No. 1 Oyster River (17-1)

• The Bobcats got the No. 1 seed and the bye that goes with it thanks to an extra rating point for a win over Timberlane, which moved back up to D1 this year. Oyster River, last year’s runner-up, was one point away from an undefeated season, falling to Pembroke 49-48 on Jan. 8. The Bobcats beat each of their potential quarterfinal opponents, taking down Kearsarge 69-53 on Feb. 7 and knocking off Souhegan on the road, 58-52, on Feb. 22.

Playoff Predictions

First-round winners: Kearsarge, Pelham, Merrimack Valley, ConVal, Bishop Brady, Pembroke, Kennett.

Biggest possible upset: Hollis Brookline over Pelham.

Final four: Oyster River, Merrimack Valley, ConVal, Pembroke.

Championship: Oyster River over Pembroke.