Bishop Guertin boys basketball starts fast, doesn't let up in win over Goffstown (video)

NASHUA - Eli Youssef started Friday night's game focused on doing the little things for the Bishop Guertin High School boys basketball team.

But when the senior started seeing his shots fall, he felt like it was going to be a big night.

It turned out to be, as Youssef was perfect shooting from the field in the first half, scoring all but two of his game-high 22 points, to help the Cardinals get out in front early and then cruise past Goffstown for a 76-43 win in Division I action.

Youssef had 15 points in the first quarter, making all six of his field goal attempts, and finished the first half 8 of 8 from the field, including 4 of 4 from behind the 3-point line. The little things were there, too, as he also grabbed four rebounds to go with a block and an assist in the first half.

“If I see the ball get through the hoop, it’s going to be a good game for me,” Youssef said. “I was trying to do the other little things, but once I  can get going, we’re a super dangerous team because we have a lot of pieces.”

Connor McGowan added 20 points for Bishop Guertin (11-3), all of which came in the second and third quarters, while Joshua Corriveau came off the bench to score 10 points. Sam Woodward also had eight points, including two of the team's 10 3-pointers.

“One of the things I preach is energy finds the ball,” Bishop Guertin coach Will Horne said. “So if you’re playing with it on the defensive end, talking, rebounding, being in the right spot, the ball is going to go in the hoop for you. You’re going to find the ball, and Eli did a great job of that early on, and the guys kind of fed off him.”

Youssef had all but four of the Cardinals' first-quarter points, as Bishop Guertin had a 19-16 lead over the Grizzlies (8-5) going into the second. Three straight 3-pointers gave the Cardinals a 28-18 lead early in the quarter, and then McGowan got going, scoring nine points in a row to push the lead to 37-21.

“I think Eli was phenomenal in the first quarter and our guys responded, and it was close after one,” Goffstown coach Ryan Cowette said. “They continued to make shots and I don’t think we played and worked very hard. That’s the type of result that will happen.”

Bishop Guertin's successes on offense carried over to the other end, where the defense held Goffstown to just seven points in the second quarter to lead 41-23 at the break.

“I think we forced a lot of tough shots,” Horne said. “I think we ran out and got running in transition. When we’re putting that sort of defensive pressure on teams and making them have to get out and run with us, it puts a lot of pressure on their offense as well. Our offense put a lot of pressure on their offense.”

The Grizzlies got 12 points from Liam O'Brien while Tyler Dionne had eight points and Giovanny Santos had seven markers.

Goffstown kept pace early in the second half, but Bishop Guertin got going again offensively, putting together a 16-2 run that gave the Cardinals a 61-30 lead with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. McGowan had nine points during that stretch.

The win was the ninth in a row for Bishop Guertin and moves the Cardinals into third in the D1 standings with four game remaining.

“They’re all playing well,” Horne said. “The team is clicking. Everybody’s doing the job that they need to do. If we keep doing that, good things will happen.”