> ## 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. # Division I boys basketball chasing Portsmouth as tournament gets started - URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/division-boys-basketball-chasing-portsmouth-tournament-gets-started/ - Published: 2017-03-07T15:15:43.000Z - Updated: 2017-03-07T15:15:43.000Z - Description: Steve Lane has seen both sides of what can happen in the Division I boys basketball playoffs the last two seasons. - Author: Joe Marchilena - Tags: Division I, boys basketball, playoffs, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44 Steve Lane has seen both sides of what can happen in the Division I boys basketball playoffs the last two seasons. Two years ago, Lane's Nashua High School North boys basketball team was the 15th seed and managed to pull off a pair of upsets on its way to a final four appearance. Last season, the Titans were hoping to make it back to the University of New Hampshire after finishing as the top regular-season team in the division, but were upset at home in the quarterfinals. "You have no idea what's going to happen in the next two weeks," Lane said after North ended its regular season with a win over Londonderry last Friday. "There's so many good teams and there's so much balance." While there might be a lot of teams that played close games this year, and there could be some upsets in the first round, every team is looking up at Portsmouth. The Clippers enter as the only undefeated team (18-0) in the division and had just two games all year decided by fewer than 10 points - two nine-point wins at Bishop Guertin and at Winnacunnet. Here's a look at the preliminary round matchups, scheduled for Tuesday. **No. 9 Bishop Guertin (8-10) at No. 8 Londonderry (10-8)** - Both teams enter having lost three of their final four games, including the finale. The Cardinals fell to Bedford, 68-53, in the last game of the regular season, while the Lancers dropped a 93-85 decision to North in double overtime. In that game, Londonderry's Jake Coleman became the program's all-time leading scorer. These teams played back on Jan. 6, with the Lancers handing the Cardinals a 59-47 setback. **No. 13 Alvirne (7-11) at No. 4 Winnacunnet (14-4)** - These teams met just a week ago in Hudson, with the Warriors needing a last-second shot to win 55-52\. That loss was part of a stretch that saw the Broncos drop eight of their final 10 games. After a three-game skid in early January, Winnacunnet has won 10 of 11, with the lone loss coming against Portsmouth. **No. 12 Salem (8-10) at No. 5 Exeter (12-6)** - Each team enters the postseason heading in opposite directions. Exeter won five of its final seven games to secure the fifth seed, while Salem won just four of its final 12 games and needed a win in the finale to get into the playoffs. The Blue Hawks won the regular-season matchip 78-57 on Jan. 31. **No. 10 Manchester Memorial (8-10) at No. 7 Nashua North (11-7)** - The lone first-round game where the lower seed won the regular-season meeting, as Memorial knocked off North 78-68 in Nashua on Jan. 31\. Since then, the Titans have lost just once, winning eight of their final nine games. The Crusaders went in the opposite direction after that game, losing seven of their final 10 games to end the regular season. **No. 11 Nashua South (8-10) at No. 6 Merrimack (12-6)** - The Tomahawks got the win in the regular-season meeting, beating the Panthers 60-55 in overtime on Feb. 3\. It was one of four losses by five points or fewer this year for South, but the Panthers have struggled since, winning just two of eight since. Merrimack had nine games decided by nine points or less this season. ### Playoff predictions **First-round byes:** No. 1 Portsmouth (18-0), No. 2 Spaulding (15-3), No. 3 Bedford (15-3). **First-round winners:** Winnacunnet, Exeter, Nashua North, Londonderry, Nashua South. **Final four:** Portsmouth, Bedford, Winnacunnet, Nashua North. **Championship:** Portsmouth over Bedford.