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# Bishop Guertin boys basketball comes on strong in third quarter to beat Bedford
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/bishop-guertin-boys-basketball-comes-on-strong-in-third-quarter-to-beat-bedford/
- Published: 2021-01-22T15:10:00.000Z
- Updated: 2021-01-22T15:10:00.000Z
- Description: NASHUA - Dylan Santosuosso felt like he was going to have a big Thursday night from the start of the Bishop Guertin High School boys basketball team's game against Bedford. After a slow start, the Cardinals senior started to show it on the scoreboard in the second half. Santosuosso scored 15 of his
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, Bedford, Bishop Guertin, boys basketball, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

NASHUA - Dylan Santosuosso felt like he was going to have a big Thursday night from the start of the Bishop Guertin High School boys basketball team's game against Bedford.

After a slow start, the Cardinals senior started to show it on the scoreboard in the second half.

Santosuosso scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the third quarter, including a couple of 3-pointers from the corner in front of his team's bench, and Bishop Guertin pulled away from Bedford for a 60-43 win in a Division I game.

The Bulldogs opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer from Todd O'Connell to cut the Cardinals' lead to one, 26-25, but Bishop Guertin (2-1) answered with a 9-0 run and outscored Bedford (0-1) 21-10 in the third quarter.

"I was waiting for it," Santosuosso said."I was feeling it all game. I just kind of let the game come to me. We came out with intensity (in the second half) and let things happen. We realized this game couldn’t stay close. We had to keep doing our thing and keep the intensity up."

John Sullivan scored nine of his 13 points in the first half to help the Cardinals take a four-point lead into halftime and Nate Kane was also in double figures with 10 points.

But for the third time in three games this season, Bishop Guertin got off to a slow start, scoring just three points in the first four-plus minutes. The Cardinals ended the first quarter on an 8-0 run to lead 11-6 and never trailed the rest of the way.

"We played much better in the second half, ... (but) I’d like us to sharpen the pencil a little bit in the first half offensively," Bishop Guertin coach John Fisher said. "I’m not unhappy with giving up 22 points (in the first half) to a talented team like Bedford. They’ve got shooters. They hit great shots. They’re well-coached. I’d like to sharpen the pencil in the first half."

O'Connell finished with 10 points and Andrew Zimmerman had 11 points to lead the Bulldogs, who were playing in their first game of the season and first under new head coach Frank Moreno.

"I was really happy with the way we came out and fought, and I was happy with the end of game," Moreno said. "We were down and they didn’t quit. We have a lot of work to do on the offensive and defensive boards. They’re big boys, but we’ve got to do a better job with that. The offense is new, so it’s not gelling yet. This is the first time we’ve done it outside of practice."

While the offense might not be there yet, the Bulldogs mixed up their defenses in the first half, at times going into different zones, and it slowed the Cardinals down.

"I know Frank can coach zone defense," Fisher said. "We’re trying to figure out what to prepare for with one day of practice. They run their zone very well. We had to find the gaps and once the guys got used to it, I think we felt more comfortable."

That comfort level increased with every shot Bishop Guertin made in the third quarter, starting with a putback jumper by Sullivan. Bedford turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions, and the Cardinals capitalized with an inside basket by Lucas Baker and the first of three 3-pointers in the quarter by Santusousso.

A steal by Jordan Robichaud led to a jumper by Santusousso, giving the Cardinals a 35-25 lead and forcing Bedford to take a timeout. The Bulldogs stopped their scoreless stretch on a basket by Dylan Kumbani after the break, but Santusousso hit two more 3-pointers and Bishop Guertin led 41-29 with 2:50 left in the third.

"He trains hard in the offseason, so he’s in great shape," Fisher said of Santusousso. "For whatever reason, he plays a little bit better when he’s tired. He played a ton of minutes in the first half and then hit all those shots. He’s a complete player and he was able to let the game come to him."

Bishop Guertin led by 15 points going into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 19 before Bedford closed the gap to end the game.