Goffstown boys basketball rolls into D1 semifinals with win over Bishop Guertin

NASHUA - The last week was an informative one for the Goffstown High School boys basketball team.

In the Grizzlies' final regular-season game, they saw what kind of defensive effort it takes to beat Bishop Guertin. And after the Cardinals' preliminary-round win, Goffstown saw what can happen if it didn't bring that level of intensity again for Saturday night's Division I quarterfinal.

After a quick start by the Cardinals, the Grizzlies buckled down on defense and controlled the game on both ends of the floor, as No. 3 Goffstown beat No. 6 Bishop Guertin 54-36 to advance to the semifinals. The Grizzlies will take on No. 2 Nashua North at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the first of two games at Exeter High School.

"I think more than anything, they knew BG is a good team and they couldn’t afford to let them hang around," Goffstown coach Ryan Cowette said. "The game could have flipped pretty easily."

When the teams met in the final game of the regular season a week ago, Bishop Guertin jumped out to an eight-point lead in the first half, thanks in part to six 3-pointers. But the Grizzlies held the Cardinals to just 11 points in the second half what turned into a 44-41 win.

And after Bishop Guertin made a 11 3s and scored over 80 points in the first round against Manchester Central, the Grizzlies were on high alert.

"We played their dribble handoffs a little bit differently," Cowette said. "We talked about making them more uncomfortable. They had some easy looks in the first half last weekend. They also made some tough shots. We wanted to make them uncomfortable as best we could."

Goffstown (17-3) allowed just 11 points in the first half, taking a 26-11 lead into the break, while getting 19 points from Mason Blondeau, who had three of the Grizzlies' eight 3-pointers. Aiden O'Connell added 14 points, with two 3s, and Rob Baguidy scored all 11 of his points in the first half and Goffstown was 10 for 10 at the free throw line.

"Those guys are incredibly talented," Bishop Guertin coach John Fisher said. "In their gym, it’s really tough. Obviously, we struggled with them in our own. On nights when our shots aren’t going in, I don’t know if we can compete with them inside with their size, strength.

"They’re a very balanced basketball team, well-coached. We would have had to have our best game in order to beat them, and unfortunately, we didn’t have our best night."

Tyler Mackey led the Cardinals (14-6) with 13 points, hitting three 3-pointers, but none else was in double figures, as Matt Santosuosso had nine points and Javari Ellison had six points.

Bishop Guertin got out to a 6-0 lead on a 3 by Mackey and a three-point play by Santosuosso, but the lead didn't last long, as Goffstown ended the quarter scoring 10 straight points to lead 15-8 after one.

That run carried over into the second, as the Grizzlies outscored the Cardinals 11-3 in the frame.

"They played really hard," Cowette said. "It was the best team defense that we played all year. I think they’ll see when we watch it, how much better we look when all five guys have bought in on that end of the floor."

Goffstown continued to grind down Bishop Guertin on defense in the third, as neither team scored much in the first four minutes of the quarter.

"I don’t think we played poorly on defense," Fisher said. "I know they’re tremendously good, but we didn’t play well enough and we didn’t shoot the ball well enough."

The Grizzlies move on to the semifinals for the first time since moving up to D1 in 2018. Goffstown fell to North, 62-41, on Dec. 22.

"They’re a tremendous team," Cowette said. "I think they have the best coach in the state. They have a couple of incredibly talented players. It doesn’t matter who you play at this point, everyone is going to be tough."