Brandon Len and Souhegan will try to get another win over Milford.

The Souhegan and Milford high school boys basketball teams will meet for the third time – second in division play – this season, and the Sabers have a chance to sweep the Spartans for the first time in recent memory. Milford will also be holding a Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser during the game.

That’s not the only big Division II battle, as both boys and girls teams from Bedford and Portsmouth will meet. In Division I, Salem and Alvirne boys meet in a matchup of top seven teams, while Nashua South tries to turn its season around against Merrimack

No. 1: Souhegan at Milford boys basketball, 6:30 p.m.

This is the third game in four days for the Sabers (9-1), but when asked how his team would be ready Friday, Souhegan coach Mike Heaney said all he should have to do is tell the team its playing Milford. A win gives Souhegan 10 victories for the third straight season, a big feat considering its only been four years since the Sabers were coming off back-to-back two-win seasons.

Milford welcomed back guard Jovi Philbrick earlier this week, but the Spartans still lost at John Stark on Tuesday. Right now, Milford (4-7) is 16th in Division II, and with Bedford, Pelham and Goffstown still on the schedule, the Spartans could really use a win.

No. 2: Salem at Alvirne boys basketball, 7 p.m.

One thing these teams have in common? Both hold a win over Manchester Central, which Salem (7-3) pulled off on Tuesday to bounce back from a loss against Merrimack. The Blue Devils are in a tough stretch, playing the third of four games against teams they’re battling for a home playoff game.

Alvirne (7-2) has won three in a row since losing to Trinity, but those three wins have come against Timberlane, Keene and Concord, teams that are a combined 4-26.

Ali Glennon and Bedford will be looking for their fifth straight win.

No. 3: Bedford at Portsmouth boys basketball, 6:30 p.m.

Since getting embarrassed by Pelham on Dec. 22, the Bulldogs (8-2) have been on a tear, winning seven in a row, the second longest winning streak in Division II. Bedford has done it with defense, allowing under 50 points for the first six games of that stretch. In Tuesday’s 69-60 win over Goffstown, the Bulldogs held the Grizzlies below their average of 75 points a game.

Portsmouth (9-2) has lost two of three, dropping back-to-back games against St. Thomas and Pelham before knocking off Coe-Brown on Tuesday. The Clippers have also been playing well defensively, allowing just 41.4 points per game over their last seven.

No. 4: Nashua South at Merrimack boys basketball, 7 p.m.

The Panthers (5-5) started the season so well, winning their first four games, including victories over Bishop Guertin and Salem. But since, South has lost five of six and has struggled to score during that stretch. Oddly enough, in its lone win, South scored just 48 points to beat Dover by two.

After playing well in its first game without Dimitri Floras, Merrimack (8-1) needed a late 3-pointer to beat Londonderry (1-8) by one on Tuesday. The Tomahawks are going to need to figure out how to consistently play well without Floras, who is out with a broken wrist and won’t be back until at least the last week of the regular season.

No. 5: Portsmouth at Bedford girls basketball, 6:30 p.m.

The Clippers (9-2) have won back-to-back games to bounce back from losing two of three games a couple of weeks ago. Portsmouth has scored 56 and 55 points in its last two games, but may have trouble scoring against a Bedford (9-3) that has allowed a combined 63 points in its last three games. In Tuesday’s 64-14 win over Goffstown, the Bulldogs forced 31 turnovers.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, Bedford, boys basketball, Division I, Division II, girls basketball, Merrimack, Milford, Nashua South, Portsmouth, Salem, Souhegan

Nashua South's Jack Preston averaged 11.6 points per game in this year's tournament.

The 2011 Chick-fil-A Holiday Basketball Tournament was one to remember, thanks in part of a championship game that featured host Nashua South beating Nashua North.

It was the first time the two teams played in the final in seven years, and it was just one of several great games to take place over the three-day tourney.

For a closer look at the players who were named to the all-tournament team, and some who weren’t, but could have been, go to the jump.

All-tournament team

• Anthony Muccioli (MVP) – The Nashua South senior was one of many Panthers to have a solid tournament, but when the team needed him most, Muccioli stepped up and delivered in the championship game. He scored eight points at the end of the first quarter to ignite the offense and get South its first lead of the game. His 21 points in the championship game were the fifth most in a single game during the tournament, and his 15 points-per-game average was tied for the fifth best.
• Jack Preston – When Muccioli scored just seven points in the semifinals, Preston stepped in and led the Panthers, scoring 16 points to help get South to the championship game. For the tournament, the South junior averaged 11.6 points per game. Two of his biggest baskets were dunks – one in the opening game against Hollis Brookline, and another against North that helped fire up the South crowd.
• Javon Williams – North’s senior had the highest scoring game, dropping 26 in an opening-round win over Souhegan. And after sitting out most of the first half of the final against South with three fouls, Williams scored nine points in the fourth quarter to help the Titans get make it a three-point game. Williams finished with an average of 18.3 points, second-best for the tournament.
• Ryan Gauthier -In the opening round win over Souhegan, the Titans senior had 10 of his 18 points in the second quarter to help North get the lead. In the semifinal win over Alvirne, Gauthier had 18 of his game-high 22 points in the first half to keep North in the game. For the tournament, he finished with an average of 15 points per game.
• Tyler Livingston – While Alvirne didn’t reach the championship game, it did finish third, thanks largely in part to the sharp-shooting of Livingston. The Broncos junior was third overall with an average of 16.3 points per game, including nine total 3-pointers.

The others

• Brandon Len – Had Souhegan made it to the championship game, Len would have had a good chance at being the tournament MVP. The junior averaged a tournament-high 20.3 points, but the Sabers lost two of three games.
• Jeff Gelinas – Thronton entered the tournament as the two-time defending champs, but the Golden Trojans brought a young team to this year’s competition. Things got even tougher when senior Justin Pollard went down with an injury. Gelinas stepped up to average 13.6 points per game and lead Thornton in scoring in all three games.
• PJ Flaum – Like the rest of Hollis Brookline, the junior struggled in the Cavaliers’ blowout loss to South in the opening round, going scoreless. But in the final two games, Flaum averaged 14.5 points as HB bounced back to beat Campbell and Souhegan.
• Zack Simmonds – The Souhegan junior was a steady scorer over the first two games, scoring 15 in each. Simmonds finished with the seventh-best average, putting in 12.3 points a game.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, boys basketball, Brookline, Chick-fil-A, holiday, Hollis, Milford, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan, Thornton, tournament

Nashua North's Javon Williams guards Nashua South's Anthony Muccioli during Thursday's game.

NASHUA – The championship game of the Chick-fil-A Holiday Basketball Tournament was more than six minutes old and the scoreboard said Nashua High School South had just two points.

The Panthers were down six to Nashua North and struggling to get the offense going, having turned the ball over three times.

And then South’s Anthony Muccioli took over.

The senior hit a jump shot with 95 seconds left in the quarter. After a North free throw, he came back down the floor and drained a 3. Twenty seconds later, Muccioli drained another 3, giving South a lead it would not relinquish.

Muccioli’s layup with 1:15 to play iced the game, as the Panthers held on for a 46-40 win over the Titans to win the tournament title for the first time since 2008.

“Sometimes we have to ride Anthony like that,” South coach Nate Mazerolle said. “My coaching philosophy is ‘hey, let’s run the offense, let’s move the ball,’ but sometimes, you have to loosen the reigns and say go.

“I looked up and there’s two minutes left in the quarter and we have two points. We had those problems the last couple of years and I thought we’d overcome that. (Muccioli) has a sense of that. He knows, as a senior captain, he’s got to take over sometimes. He did that.”

Muccioli finished with a game-high 21 points, including 4 3-pointers, and he was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Jack Preston added 10 points for South and was also named to the all-tournament team.

South's Kevin Morrissey takes a shot during Thursday's game.

North got 12 points from Javon Williams, who sat out most of the first half in foul trouble. Mike O’Connor added nine points and Anthony Farmer had seven, as the Titans played without Ryan Gauthier in the second half for an undisclosed reason.

Despite what North coach Steve Lane called a “step back,” he was pleased that the Titans managed to get as close as they did. North trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half, but closed the gap to three points with under two minutes to play.

“Only losing by six after being trounced in the first half, trounced in the third quarter, and showing an effort and the guts to come back, showed me something about this team,” Lane said. “We competed in the second half. We’ve got to learn to play with more composure, we’ve got to learn to play with a little more poise, and not let emotions get in the way of actually playing basketball. It’s a learning experience for a lot of players.”

North got out to the early lead, but in the span of 40 seconds, Williams picked up two fouls and went to the bench with 2:43 left in the opening frame. South took advantage, with Muccioli going on an 8-1 run of his own to end the first.

Preston opened the second quarter for South with a layup and a dunk that put the Panthers up 14-9, and a jumper by Kevin Morrissey made it a seven-point lead. Williams returned not long after that, but picked up his third foul on a charge and went back to the bench for the remainder of the half.

The lead grew to 12 by halftime, and South extended it to 15 two minutes into the third quarter.

The Panthers led by 13 at the end of the third, but as they tried to slow the game down, they struggled to make shots, and North began to chip away.

“It’s a catch-22, because then there’s no rhythm,” Mazerolle said. “We still took a lot of bad shots in that stretch where they came back, but we shortened the game, which we wanted to do. If we could do that, and then get a layup or get fouled, perfect. We aren’t there yet.”

The Titans went on a 12-2 run that spanned almost five minutes of the fourth quarter, with a layup by Williams making it a 41-38 game with 1:54 to play.

South slowed things down at the other end, and Muccioli finished off a long possession with a basket that put the game out of reach.

“They beat us on the boards and beat us to lose balls,” Lane said. “They had a lot of hustle points. A lot of the little things, they did better, and they deserved to win. Our effort was still good, and we played hard.”

The two teams will meet again in the regular season on Jan. 27 at North.

Third-place game: Alvirne 59, Thornton Academy 33

Alvirne's Tony Beaulieu goes in for a layup.

Tyler Livingston hit three 3s and scored 13 points to help the Broncos to a third-place finish Thursday in the Chick-fil-A Holiday Tournament at Nashua South.

Livingston finished the tournament with 49 points over three games, with nine 3-pointers, and was named to the all-tournament team.

Sean Dunn added 10 points for Alvirne while Tony Beaulieu and Robbie Diamond each added nine.

Thornton got 12 points from Jeff Gelinas while James Ek chipped in with nine.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, boys basketball, Chick-fil-A, holiday, Nashua North, Nashua South, Thornton, tournament

Nashua North's Javon Williams puts up a shot during the first half of Wednesday's game against Alvirne.

NASHUA – The first month of the boys basketball season has been like a puzzle for the Nashua High School North team.

The Titans have slowly been putting the pieces together, and after Wednesday’s 62-54 win over Alvirne, they’re one step closer to the big picture.

“We’re slowly getting better and this was another piece to the puzzle,” North coach Steve Lane said. “I thought this was the best we’ve looked through our six contests, including two scrimmages. I can’t be more pleased with the progress we’ve made. We’re still inconsistent, but we’re getting better.”

Ryan Gauthier scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the first half and Javon Williams had all but four of his 17 points in the second half to lead the Titans into the championship game of the Chick-fil-A Holiday Tournament. North will take on Nashua South at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at South.

Jake Mellin was also in double figures, adding 10 points for North, which went into halftime tied at 30 with Alvirne. Lane and the coaching staff made some adjustments and the Titans made it work on the floor.

Williams put back an offensive rebound on back-to-back possessions and Anthony Farmer followed with a layup. After Alvirne’s Tony Beaulieu answered, Mellin scored three straight baskets to give the Titans a 44-32 lead.

Alvirne coach Seth Garon was forced to take a timeout, but things didn’t get any better for the Broncos. Mike O’Connor scored on a put back and Liam Burke added a jumper to complete a 16-2 run for North.

“We just didn’t take care of the ball again today,” Garon said. “That’s the bottom line. We took ill-advised shots and didn’t take care of the basketball. You can’t win ball games like that.”

North went up by 14 on a 3 by Gauthier to open the third quarter, but Alvirne started to chip away at the lead, cutting it to six on two free throws by Beaulieu with 4:15 to play.

The Titans answered with an 8-1 run, including a 3 by Williams that drew a grimace from Lane.

“My reaction was not good,” Lane said. “Being a former player, the reaction is usually no, no, no … yes, yes, yes. If it didn’t go in, he might have had to have a chat with me. I’ve had a chat with a lot of the guys and they understand where I’m coming from.”

Alvirne scored a few late baskets to cut into the lead, but it was too late by then.

The Broncos got 19 points from Tyler Livingston, 12 of which came on 3s, and Tony Beaulieu chipped in with 14 points. But no one else had more than six for the Broncos, as they struggled to control the basketball.

Alvirne will take on Thornton Academy in the third-place game Thursday at 6 p.m.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, boys basketball, Chick-fil-A, holiday, Nashua North, tournament

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, boys basketball, Brookline, Campbell, Chick-fil-A, Hollis, Milford, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan, Thornton

Alvirne's Alec Yoksh pulls up for a jump shot as Milford's Jared Asselin during Tuesday's game.

NASHUA – Everyone’s clock is off a bit during winter break, but that didn’t seem to bother the Alvirne High School boys basketball team Tuesday during the opening day of the Chick-fil-A Holiday Tournaments.

The Broncos rushed out to a 10-0 lead against Milford and cruised to a 67-45 win over the Spartans in the first game of the tournament at Nashua South.

Tyler Livingston scored 15 of his game-high 17 points in the first half and Alec Yoksh came off the bench when Jim Tomaswick went down early with a wrist injury to added 12 points. Tomaswick later returned to play in the second half, and Alvirne should be at full strength when it returns to play in the winner’s bracket Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Nashua North.

Despite playing without Tomaswick’s inside presence for most of the first half, Alvirne was able to score in bunches from in the paint.

Milford's Richie Moore tries to get a hand on a shot by Alvirne's Britton Doyle.

“We got a lot of layups, especially in the first half,” Alvirne coach Seth Garon said. “I thought the first half we played well, but the second half, it got a little sloppy. Christmas tournaments are always tough. The kids sleep until noon time. They’re not in their routine. It always makes for interesting games.”

Logan Barlow led Milford with 11 points while Nick Simo added nine markers off the bench, as the Spartans lost a game for the first time since January of 2010. Of course, Milford still hasn’t dropped a Division II game since then, but coach Dan Murray hopes the Spartans learned something from the loss.

“(Tuesday) was like being in school and learning a lesson,” Murray said. “They’re a good team. We played like we’ve been practicing. We’ve been struggling with our lack of leadership. We have to learn soon.”

After Alvirne opened the game with a 10-0 run, Milford could no closer than seven points throughout, and that came with 2:05 left in the first quarter. The Broncos led by 12 at halftime, and after opening the second half with a 10-4 run, Alvirne led 52-34 at the end of three quarters.

“We didn’t take care of the basketball very well, but we seemed to break their pressure pretty well,” Garon said. “(Tony) Beaulieu had a phenomenal game getting to the rim, breaking the press, getting things started for us. He did exactly what we needed to do.”

Milford moves into the loser’s bracket and will face Souhegan at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, boys basketball, Chick-fil-A, holiday, Milford, Nashua, tournament

Over the next 12 days, all New Hampshire boys and girls basketball and hockey teams will take a break from their regular-season schedule and most will participate in tournament near and far. A lot of the Greater Nashua teams will be staying in the area, while a very select few head out on the road for places near and one far.

For a look at where these teams will be playing this holiday season, go to the jump.

Boys Basketball:

Chick-fil-A Holiday Tournament, Dec. 27-29 at Nashua High School South. Teams participating: Nashua South, Nashua North, Souhegan, Milford, Alvirne, Campbell, Hollis/Brookline, Thornton Academy

For the 11th straight year, Nashua will be the site of a boys basketball tournament, and this year, seven out of the eight teams participating will come from the Nashua area. Play begins on Tuesday, with Milford, the two-time Division II champions, taking on Alvirne at 3 p.m. Then at 4:30 p.m., Campbell will then face Thornton Academy of Saco, Maine – which has won the tournament the last two years. Nashua North and Souhegan, which played in the tournament in 2000, will follow at 6 p.m. and host Nashua South will face Hollis/Brookline at 7:30 p.m.

Play will continue  at the same times on Wednesday and Thursday, with the tournament’s championship game scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 29.

Queen City Invitational Basketball Tournament, Dec. 26-28 at Manchester Memorial. Teams participating: Merrimack, Manchester Central, Manchester Memorial, Dover, Trinity, Manchester West, Exeter

The 49th annual QCIBT will get underway at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, when Merrimack and Dover open the tournament. Trinity and West follow at 6 p.m. with crosstown rivals Central and Memorial squaring off at 7:30 p.m. Exeter receives a bye into the second day of play, and will face the winner of Merrimack and Dover at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Play continues until Wednesday, with the championship game scheduled for 7 p.m.

Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament, hosted by the Boston Amateur Basketball Club, Dec. 27-29 at Chelsea (Mass.) High School. Local team participating: Bishop Guertin

Bishop Guertin will once again travel down South to take on schools from Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Cardinals open the tournament against Cambridge at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and will play again at either 5:30 or 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Republic Bank Holiday Classic, Dec. 26-30 at Lexington Catholic (Ky.) High School. Local team participating: Bedford

Yes, Bedford will make the long trip to Lexington, Ky., to participate in one of the most prestigious holiday tournaments in the country. The Bulldogs will face either Franklin County or Moore in their first game at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 27. Notable teams participating: Trinity High School, out of Louisville, is one of the top teams in the state of Kentucky; Ballard (also from Louisville) was last year’s champion; host Lexington Catholic.

Girls Basketball:

Nashua North Holiday Tournament, Dec. 27-30 at Nashua High School North. Teams participating: North, South, Pelham, Bedford (Pool A); Milford, Souhegan, Exeter, Bishop Guertin (Pool B); Alvirne, Windham, Campbell, Merrimack (Pool C)

The tournament returns for a second year, and this time, all games will be played at Nashua North. Six games a day will be played, starting at 12 p.m. on Tuesday. Pool play continues through Thursday, with championship, third-place and fifth-place games scheduled for Friday.

Queen City Invitational Basketball Tournament, Dec. 27-29 at Manchester Central. Teams participating: Hollis/Brookline, Central, Memorial, West, Trinity, Lebanon, Bay View Academy of East Providence, R.I.

Hollis/Brookline returns to the girls version of the QCIBT, and will take on Bay View Academy in the first round at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Hockey:

Seventh Annual Hockey Classic, Dec. 29-30 at Conway Arena. Teams participating: North, South, Alvirne, Hollis/Brookline

The four-team tournament will get underway on Thursday, starting with 1:30 p.m. game between North and Alvirne. South and HB will follow at 3:40 p.m. Friday will feature the consolation game at 2:30 p.m., with the championship game following at 4:40 p.m.

Christmas Holiday Classic, Dec. 26-29 at JFK Coliseum in Manchester. Teams participating: Merrimack, Bedford, Hanover, Goffstown, Trinity, Central, Spaulding, Memorial

This eight-team tournament gets underway on Monday at 2 p.m., with Hanover taking on Goffstown. Merrimack and Trinity follow at 4 p.m. while Central and Spaulding play at 6. Memorial and Bedford round out the first day at 8 p.m. Play continues Tuesday and Wednesday, with consolation (5 p.m.) and championship (7 p.m.) games scheduled for Thursday.

Mount St. Charles Christmas Tournament, Dec. 27-29 at Adelard Arena. Local team participating: Bishop Guertin

Bishop Guertin will open the tournament on Tuesday against St. Dominic’s Academy at 6 p.m., and will play two more games in the tournament.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, Bedford, Bishop Guertin, boys basketball, Brookline, girls basketball, hockey, Hollis, Merrimack, Milford, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan

Three of those pins came in less than a minute, as Tyler Burgess won at 285-pounds, Taylor Thyne was a winner at 106 and Patrick Morse took the 160 match for the Broncos.

Burgess defeated Souhegan’s Caleb Jackson in 31 seconds, while Thyne needed 26 seconds to pin Michael Robisheau and Morse recorded a pin against Jae Clarke-Randolph in 23 seconds.

Brendan Smith of Alvirne won at 132, pinning Thomas Lott at 2:28, while John Roark won at 152 with a pin of Souhegan’s Peter Foley at 3:29. Steve Lichtenberg won at 220 by pinning Cameron Crook in 1:19, and John Plante pinned Lyle Bellamy at 5:02 to win at 113 for Alvirne.

Alvirne’s Michael Meli defeated Dylan Adams 4-2 at 138, and Tyler Dube beat Mike Olson 16-1 at 170.

Souhegan’s James Ewing won at 182 by pinning Bryce Yarmo at 3:30 and Mitchell Ilacqua needed 37 seconds to pin Chad Collins at 126. Conner Chareth got the other win for the Sabers, pinning Ben Kastonis at 1:14 of the 120 match.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, Division II, Souhegan, wrestling

Merrimack's Jackson King was one of three Tomahawks named to the Division II first team.

For the fourth straight year, the Bishop Guertin High School football team finished on top of Division II. The Cardinals were rewarded again for their season with a division-best nine players on the first team.

In all, Bishop Guertin had 14 players receive Division II all-state honors. Merrimack had six players receive Division II honors, including two on the first team, while Alvirne had three players named to the teams, including one first-teamer.

First Team Offense: Tony Beaulieu, Alvirne; Zach Mailloux, Bishop Guertin; Nate Chartrand, Bishop Guertin; Ryan Belleville, Bishop Guertin; Austin Seremi, Bishop Guertin; Steve Toscano, Bishop Guertin; Tyler Zabkar, Dover; Eric Miller, Dover; Oakley Singer, Keene; Lucas Luopa, Keene; Jackson King, Merrimack; Sam Prive, Merrimack; Dylan Couture, Spaulding; Josh David, Timberlane; Efrain Rolon III, Timberlane; Caleb Dolman, West.

First Team Defense: Jimmy Carver, Bishop Guertin; Paul Lipari, Bishop Guertin; Blake Boudreau, Bishop Guertin; Nick Marino, Bishop Guertin; Chris Maglaras, Dover; Matt Dow, Dover; Eric Wilson, Dover; Ben Galanes, Keene; Dylan Adams, Spaulding; Zack Howard, Spaulding; Tyrone Scott, Spaulding; Ryan McCarthy, Timberlane; Aaron Martin, West; Matt Myers, Winnacunnet; Nyles Connor, Winnacunnet.

Honorable Mention Offense: Ryan Bellerose, Alvirne; Robert Fahey, Bishop Guertin; Jay Krzyston, Bishop Guertin; Kyle Seawards, Dover; Colin Shaughnessy, Dover; Mack Tasoulas, Keene; Matt Delvecchio, Keene; Chaz Myers, Merrimack; Colin Healey, Merrimack; Samuel Ouellette, Spaulding; Nicolas Trochalkis, Spaulding; Trevon Scott, Spaulding; Kyle Hall, Spaulding; Evan Bidgood, Timberlane; Anthony Gillis, Timberlane; Ivan Ilic, West; Pat Mills, Winnacunnet; Drew Rollo, Winnacunnet; Jordan Cutting, Winnacunnet; Christian Dyer, Winnacunnet.

Honorable Mention Defense: Ryan Donovan, Alvirne; Nolan Cornell, Bishop Guertin; Kevin Kiczuk, Bishop Guertin; Lucas Lansing, Bishop Guertin; Max Rewucki, Dover; Matt Brown, Dover; Eric Waddington, Dover; Jimmy Heaney, Keene; Alex Parenteau, Keene; Jordan Zagwyn, Merrimack; Conor Griffin, Merrimack; Dylan Nichols, Spaulding; Nathan Zriny, Spaulding; Cameron Gargano, Timberlane; Connor Sproul, Timberlane; Aaron Theriault, West; Zach Ziemba, West; Chris Barrett, West; CJ Wooster, Winnacunnet; Nick Desmond, Winnacunnet; Mitch Lapierre, Winnacunnet; Will Doyle, Winacunnet.

Technorati Tags: all state, Alvirne, Bishop Guertin, Division II, football, Merrimack

Nashua South's Anthony Muccioli puts up a shot during last year's Chick-fil-A Holiday Basketball Tournament.

The schedule for the opening day of the Chick-fil-A Holiday Basketball Tournament was recently released, and this year, seven of the eight participants will be from the Greater Nashua area.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on Dec. 27, with all games being played at Nashua High School South.

Play will begin at 3 p.m. on Dec. 27, with Alvirne taking on Milford, a tournament newcomer. The second game of the day will feature Campbell against last year’s champion, Thornton Academy of Sacco, Maine, at 4:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., Nashua North will face another tournament newcomer, Souhegan, and finally, at 7:30 p.m., Nashua South will take on Hollis/Brookline.

The tournament’s second day will begin at 3 p.m. on Dec. 28, and the final day of action will be Dec. 29, with the championship game scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

For more, visit the tournament’s page here.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, basketball, Brookline, Campbell, Chick-fil-A, Hollis, Milford, Nashua North, Nashua South, Souhegan