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# Defense did the trick for Hollis Brookline girls basketball in semifinal win over Hanover
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/defense-did-the-trick-for-hollis-brookline-girls-basketball-in-semifinal-win-over-hanover/
- Published: 2018-03-08T22:55:27.000Z
- Updated: 2018-03-08T22:55:27.000Z
- Description: It was almost like the Hollis Brookline High School girls basketball team was playing on a loop. Steal or rebound, outlet pass, fast break, shot, score. Repeat. It happened almost too many times to count for the third-seeded Cavaliers in Tuesday night's 52-37 win over No. 7 Hanover in the Division I
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, girls basketball, Hanover, Hollis Brookline, NH High School Sports Insider, playoffs, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

It was almost like the Hollis Brookline High School girls basketball team was playing on a loop.

Steal or rebound, outlet pass, fast break, shot, score. Repeat.

It happened almost too many times to count for the third-seeded Cavaliers in Tuesday night's 52-37 win over No. 7 Hanover in the Division II semifinals.

The Marauders would bring the ball down the court and try to get into the paint. Eleven times, that led to a steal by HB, but even when Hanover found a way to penetrate the 2-3 zone defense the Cavs were playing, the Marauders struggled to make shots.

Hanover was just 14 of 56 from the field, but to make matters worse, HB held the edge in rebounds, 44-36, and blocked nine shots. The Cavs added 15 points off turnovers and 14 fast-break points, and while there plenty of individual efforts that filled the stat sheet, there was one that didn't that had a big impact on the game.

That would be the game of Elizabeth Atkinson.

"She changes people’s shots," HB coach Bob Murphy said of the 6-foot-1 junior. "She’s not a high scorer but she does get a lot of rebounds. Instead of being our go-to girl, she became a good distributor for us."

Atkinson had a great all-around game, recording four points, eight rebounds, three blocks, three assists and two steals, but it was her defense in the paint - and ability to stay out of foul trouble until the fourth quarter - that allowed the Cavs to play the way they were.

"We talked about stopping them under the basket," Murphy said. "They try to attack a 2-3 zone underneath the basket. We slowed that down, took that away, and now they had to rely on their outside shots, and they just don’t have the outside shooters."

Hanover was 3 of 13 from behind the 3-point line and went the final six minutes of the game without hitting a field goal of any kind.

For the second year in a row, the Cavs find themselves in the championship game after going more than 40 years without a trip to the final. Last year, HB fell short against Lebanon. This year, the Cavs will face No. 13 John Stark, which has pulled off three upsets to reach its first final since 2003.

"It feels really good," HB junior Brodie Kelley said of the repeat final appearance. "Last year, I thought we were all super nervous and now a lot of us have the experience of being here in the final, so I think that will help us a lot. We still have to come out and play hard and give it all we have."

Kelley is also one of three players - along with Atkinson and Elizabeth Bonnette - who have been a part of HB's three consecutive girls volleyball championships, and she hopes that experience helps in the final. The teams will play at Southern New Hampshire on Friday at 7 p.m.

"That definitely helps a lot, just being in pressure situations, playoff situations," Kelley said. "The more experience we have as a team the better, and it’s definitely helped a lot this year."