Green, McClung help Bishop Guertin knock off Trinity

NASHUA – Connor Green believes that all the Bishop Guertin High School boys basketball team has to do to be successful is work together.

Green and teammate Sean McClung did that Friday night, and it led to a 59-52 victory over Trinity in a Division I game.

Both Bishop Guertin seniors had 19 points each, but came about those in different ways. McClung made four 3-pointers, including one in the fourth quarter that made it a one-point game, while Green was 6-of-7 from the free throw line and scored in the paint late, taking advantage when Trinity switched to a man-to-man defense.

“Green and McClung, they’re a dynamic duo,” Trinity coach Dave Keefe said. “(Green) is a big guy and he puts his head down and goes to the hoop. Our big guys didn’t step in quick enough to pick up the offensive foul and he finished some nice ones, rolling around the rim and going in.”

It was the long-range shooting of McClung and Brad Holler, who scored all nine of his points on 3s, that helped open the inside for Green.

Through the first three quarters, the Cardinals weren’t finding any room to maneuver inside. Bishop Guertin was able to take a 16-10 lead into the second quarter, thanks to four 3s in the first eight minutes.

But when the long-range jumpers stopped falling, points were hard to find for the Cardinals (7-2), as they went the first five minutes of the quarter without a basket. Trinity (7-2) went on an 11-0 run over that span.

“We went into a lull,” Bishop Guertin coach Jim Migneault said. “You don’t want to settle for just that. I know their big, but we had to get something on the inside.”

The Cardinals had trouble matching up with the Pioneers’ bigger front line of Andrew Lauderdale (6-7), Silvere Aluko (6-10) and Mabor Gabriel (6-7). Trinity opened the game playing a 3-2 zone, allowing the big men to sit back and wait for the Cardinals to attack the lane.

On the other end, the Pioneers were able to control the glass in the second and third quarter. Aluko opened the second half by scoring six straight points from in close, and after a 3-pointer from Zack Stevens, Trinity led 38-30 with 4:41 left in the third quarter.

But every time it seemed Trinity was going to pull away, the Cardinals kept it close.

Down 46-41 going into the fourth quarter, a 3 by Holler made it a two point game, and after Aluko made two free throws, McClung hit another 3 to make it 48-47 with 6:56 to play.

“We started moving and by moving the ball, we were getting the wide-open 3s,” Migneault said.  “Those were good looks. We started making penetration a little bit and forcing them to double-team on the ball. Then we were getting very good looks.”

After both teams went scoreless for another three minutes, Holler nailed another 3 that gave the Cardinals a 50-48 lead with 3:38 to play. Trinity turned the ball over on its next possession and Green converted a traditional three-point play to make it a five-point game.

“We were getting a little scared because we were relying on them too much,” Green said. “Then when we started going to the hole, it freed up the kick and got wide-open 3s. Then they started pulling out guys to the perimeter. It was a tough game but we pulled through.”

With the win, Bishop Guertin completed a 4-0 sweep of the Manchester schools, and the Cardinals have now won three in a row – over Exeter, Memorial and Trinity.

“We were sitting there, 4-2 and kind of floundering, getting our legs back,” Migneault said. “We’re starting to get people back from injury. It’s just a big, big week. Now though, we’ve got to carry it over into next week.”

Bishop Guertin heads to Derry on Tuesday to take on Pinkerton, while Trinity returns home to face Timberlane, also on Tuesday.