> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Above the Rim: Bishop Guertin boys basketball figuring things out - URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/above-the-rim-bishop-guertin-boys-basketball-figuring-things-out/ - Published: 2016-01-12T17:30:54.000Z - Updated: 2016-01-12T17:30:54.000Z - Description: The learning curve was going to be steep for the Bishop Guertin High School boys basketball team heading into this season. The Cardinals lost two of their top scorers from a year ago, and returned just two players who saw significant varsity minutes. Coach Jim Migneault knew his team would have to l - Author: Joe Marchilena - Tags: Winter Sports, Above the Rim, Bishop Guertin, boys basketball, Division I, Division II, Manchester West, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44 The learning curve was going to be steep for the Bishop Guertin High School boys basketball team heading into this season. The Cardinals lost two of their top scorers from a year ago, and returned just two players who saw significant varsity minutes. Coach Jim Migneault knew his team would have to learn on the fly, and decided to treat the first few weeks of the season like an extended preseason. That extra training seemed to pay off in Friday's convincing win over Merrimack. "I've got a lot of kids who played JV last year," Migneault said after the win. "We have two kids who got any varsity time last year, so these kids are learning. With the short preseason this year, I sort of used the Christmas tournament as the preseason. I subbed a lot of kids, I played a lot of kids, and I think it's starting to pay off now." The improvements have been almost everywhere on the floor. Migneault has seen the team improve the way it plays defense, the way it moves the ball on offense, and the way it rebounds. "We can hit the boards, it's just a matter of teaching them how," he said. "They're starting to get it. We were doing a lot of standing around earlier in the season. Now we're starting to go to the offensive boards, and that makes a big difference. "We hit a lot of good shots. We hit a lot of shots in the first half the put us up big. We moved the ball and got a lot of good looks. We were picking for each other and we did a lot of good things offensively." In a year when the division appears to be wide open, perhaps the Cardinals have a few more surprises in store. "We're starting to get it," Migneault said. "Once the light turns on, I have a lot of good athletes, and I think, as the season goes on, we're going to get better." Bishop Guertin hosts Nashua South at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the second game of a varsity doubleheader. ### Happy together Manchester West has done quite a few things early in the season to make coach Danny Bryson feel good about where the team is going. But perhaps the biggest is that the Blue Knights (2-1 in Division II) have been playing together, and enjoy doing it. "I'm proud of the way they've played and how they've played as a team," Bryson said following last Monday's win over Goffstown. "We're not where we need to be but we look pretty good. The guys like playing with each other, which helps out a lot." And West has been getting contributions from up and down the roster. Bryson knew going into the season that teams would focus on Joe Simpson and the Blue Knights would need other players to step up if they were going to be successful. "That's the man," Bryson said of Simpson. "But if you look at our games, we've had balanced scoring throughout. Joe has been the man, but we've had other people in double figures. Everyone is contributing, but Joe gets the attention." West will look to win its third in a row Tuesday when it hosts Hollis Brookline. ### Take some time off Not many teams had a busier week than Milford. The Spartans (4-0) not only played two games against rivals Souhegan and HB, but they followed Friday's game against the Cavs with a home game against Kennett on Saturday. Milford won all three to remain one of four undefeated teams in the division, and the Spartans are showing they can put up some points. In the four wins, Milford has averaged 65 points, including 80 in the win over Kennett. Now, the Spartans get to relax after their busy week. Milford is off until Friday when it travels to Windham. ### Rising - Londonderry: The Lancers started the season with an overtime loss to Bedford, but bounced back with back-to-back wins. Londonderry faces two tough tests in its next two, hosting Exeter on Tuesday and Merrimack on Jan. 22. - Coe-Brown: After opening the season with a one-point loss to Timberlane, the Bears have won three in a row and play five of their next seven games at home. ### Falling - Keene: The Blackbirds put themselves right in the mix in a wide-open Division I by starting 3-0, but since then, Keene has lost two straight, including a one-point loss to Dover. The Blackbirds play their next two on the road, including a long trip to Spaulding on Jan. 19. - Hanover: No team in Division II had a tougher schedule to start the season than the Marauders, who played Lebanon twice around a game against Bishop Brady. Hanover dropped all three and hosts Souhegan on Friday.