Kearsarge nips Souhegan, 47-45;
Merrimack Valley is next in line
NORTH SUTTON — Kearsarge advanced to the Division II quarterfinals Tuesday night with a thrilling 47-45 come-from-behind victory over Souhegan.
Next up for the No. 4 Cougars, 15-4, on Friday, March 9, will be No. 5 Merrimack Valley, 14-5, a team it whipped 69-54 on Feb. 9 and 71-60 on Jan. 16. Merrimack Valley captured its first-round tournament contest Tuesday night nipping No. 12 Windham, 52-51.
On paper, it looks like the Cougars will be headed to the D-II semifinals. And if that does happen, No. 1 Hollis/Brookline, 16-2, is the likely opponent for the 7:30 p.m. contest against Kearsarge on Monday, March 12 at UNH.
The championship game is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, also at UNH.
In other opening round games Tuesday night it was No. 13 John Stark upsetting No. 2 Lebanon, 40-39; No. 3 Pembroke 75, No. 14 Hanover 54; No. 6 Coe-Brown 58, No. 11 Pelham 49; No. 9 Milford 53, No. 8 Timberlane 48, and No 7 Oyster River 65, No. 10 Kennett, 57.
Hollis/Brookline ended it regular season on a 12-game winning streak. Its only two losses came in its season opener Dec. 15 at Coe-Brown Northwood, 65-39, and a 58-43 Jan. 19th loss at Lebanon, which finished second in the D-II standings at 15-3.
On Jan. 9, Hollis/Brookine downed Kearsarge, 55-34, at North Sutton. That game ended the Cougars four-game losing streak. That was the only time the two teams met during the regular season.
After starting out the season with three straight victories the Cougars dropped four straight while playing without the services of their top two players who were serving 10-day suspensions.
With Tuesday’s victory, the Cougars extended their winning streak to 11 games.
Tayler Mattos scored 24 points and Tommy Johnson 17 to lead the Cougars. Mattos also hauled down 15 rebounds and had three assists.
Souhegan jumped out to a 16-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and increased its advantage to nine points, 33-24, at the half.
However, the Kearsarge defense sprang to life in the third period, holding Souhegan to two points to move into a 3-point lead heading into the final frame.
Kearsarge fought from behind to take a 38-35 lead at the end of the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Mattos only to have Souhegan open the fourth period on a 9-0 run to retake the lead, 44-40.
Souhegan scored only one more point the rest of the way and the Cougars came back for the victory.
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