Above the Rim: Portsmouth boys basketball anxious to move up

The coaching staff of the Portsmouth High School boys basketball team found out last week it was going to have a little extra work to do this season.

The Clippers learned they would be moving up to Division I for the two-year cycle that begins with the 2016-17 school year, after spending the last 10 years in Class I/Division II.

"That's something we've got to look forward to next year," Portsmouth coach Jim Mulvey said. "We've talked about it behind the scenes. Our kids are excited, but we've got to take care of business this year and keep improving. We're young and we’re going to have kids back.

"The coaching staff has a lot of extra work to do. I've got to start scouting now. Any off night, I'm going to watch (Division I teams)."

The move brings to an end to a successful 10-year stretch in Class I/D2 for the Clippers, who have advanced to at least the semifinals eight times in the last nine years. Portsmouth has played in six championship games in that stretch, winning titles in 2009 (Class I) and 2012 (D2).

"We've been on a pretty good roll," Mulvey said. "Winning breeds winning. The faces change, but the expectations stay the same. That's not going to change in any division.

"We might not win nearly as many games, but that doesn't mean the expectations are going to change. We demand a lot and we’ve been fortunate that we have kids who are willing to put in the work."

Portsmouth is already off to an 8-0 in D2 this season and hosts Coe-Brown on Tuesday.

Killer birds

In just two days last week, Conant snapped Pelham's 29-game winning streak with a one-point win, handing the Pythons their first loss against an Division III team, and ended Hopkinton's undefeated season with a nine-point win.

Orioles coach Eric Saucier will be the first to tell you that neither of those wins mater a whole lot come March.

"We're happy, but not satisfied," Saucier said after the Pelham win. "Come March, it's a whole different ball game."

If his players need a reminder, Saucier brings up the title runs of the division's last two champions.

"Anybody will tell you it’s hard to win," he said. "Pelham was by far the best team in the state last year, and they were one shot away from not making the championship (game). Two years ago, we're playing Berlin (in the semifinals) and we're one layup away from not making the championship (game)."

The Orioles host Hillsboro-Deering on Tuesday, looking for their eighth win in a row.

Lineup change

Milford Dan Murray was contemplating making a change to his starting lineup following Friday's blowout loss at Portsmouth.

"Our offense is about moving, and a lot of guys weren't moving," Murray said. "When we go smaller, I may have to design something for him to be inside. I think we might start putting a quicker lineup on the floor."

When the Spartans go to the smaller lineup, senior Daniel Murray steps in in the middle, and while he may not have the size of a typical big man, his length and leaping ability help Murray make up for it.

Ups ...

• Bedford was outscored by a combined 40 points in loss to Merrimack and Nashua South, but since then, the Bulldogs have won four in a row to move to 5-2 in Division I. The schedule is favorable this week, with games against Dover (1-5) and at Keene (3-5).
• Hanover opened the season with five games against teams that are a combined 23-4 and the Marauders went 0-5. But Hanover picked up its first win of the season with a 57-51 victory over John Stark, and the next four games are against teams that are 5-16.

... And Downs

• Salem appeared to grab some momentum at the start of the new year, winning two of its first three games in January. But the Blue Devils (2-5) followed that up with a loss at Trinity, and a two-point loss to a winless Concord team that lost to Division II Timberlane its previous time out.
• Plymouth was able to end a three-game slide last Friday with a win over Kingswood, but not before a 75-23 drubbing by Manchester West on Jan. 19.