> ## 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.

# Hot start helps Pelham boys basketball knock off Hollis Brookline
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/hot-start-helps-pelham-boys-basketball-knock-off-hollis-brookline/
- Published: 2014-02-04T17:26:34.000Z
- Updated: 2014-02-04T17:26:34.000Z
- Description: HOLLIS - Matt Regan thought his Pelham High School boys basketball team was settling for too many outside shots Monday night against Hollis Brookline.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, Winter Sports, boys basketball, Brookline, Hollis, Pelham, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

HOLLIS - Matt Regan thought his Pelham High School boys basketball team was settling for too many outside shots Monday night against Hollis Brookline.

But it doesn't hurt to settle when the shots are falling.

![Pelham's Keith Brown gets ready to block a shot by Hollis Brookline's Logan Blake during Monday's game.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/jmpelball020314-p24-1.jpg)

Pelham's Keith Brown gets ready to block a shot by Hollis Brookline's Logan Blake during Monday's game.

The Pythons made seven 3-pointers in the first half, helping them get out to a double-digit lead early, and Pelham held on to beat the Cavaliers 69-53 in a Division II game.

Jake Vaiknoras led Pelham (9-2) with 25 points, while Keith Brown added 23, include three 3s, as the Pythons were able to beat HB's zone defense from the perimeter.

"They probably run the best zone in our division and we've really been working on that this year in terms of making the extra pass and trying to find some gaps and just being unselfish," Regan said. "We've got to make sure we get one of those guys an open shot, it doesn't matter who it is. At times, I thought we could have been more aggressive when we settled for shots."

Pelham led by 12 at the end of the first quarter and extended the lead to 15 points before the Cavs (7-3) went on a 12-4 run to close the gap to 36-29\. On that run, HB's Shea Whalen scored 10 of his team-high 16 points, but Pelham was able to push the lead to 10 at halftime.

HB was able to keep the deficit around 10 points for most of the third quarter, but every time it looked like the Cavs might get closer, they were unable to finish underneath the basket.

"I think they probably shot a higher percentage than we did, and we got most of our stuff inside and they got most of theirs from the perimeter," HB coach Mike Soucy said. "That's the story of the game. We couldn't finish. They moved the ball really well and we were a little slow on our rotations and they got some open looks."

Logan Blake added 13 points for HB and Daniel Bentall had 12 points, including a 3-pointer early that helped pull the Cavs within one, 8-7\. The Pythons answered with a 10-0 run, taking their first double-digit lead on a 3 by Vaiknoras with 3:39 left in the opening quarter.

![Hollis Brookline's Shea Whalen goes in for a layup.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/jmhbbball020314-h55-2.jpg)

Hollis Brookline's Shea Whalen goes in for a layup.

Pelham led 25-13 going into the second quarter when the Cavs started to consistently get the ball inside to Whalen. The HB center scored 10 straight points as the Cavs got the lead down to seven, 36-29, before the Pythons pushed it to 42-32 at halftime.

"(Whalen) is a beast," Regan said. "He’s definitely the best big kid we've seen all year. We had a long conversation about what we wanted to do and needed to, and I thought we did a good job in the second half of forcing him to take further shots. Any time you can keep a guy further away who is that size, it’s always good."

The plan worked, as Whalen had just two points in the second half before fouling out with 4:25 remaining in the game.

HB never trailed by more than 11 for most of the third quarter, but couldn't get any closer than nine either. Pelham led 53-41 going into the fourth and opened the final quarter with an 6-1 run to lead by 17.

"We had plenty of chances to make a bit of a run at them, but just missed some opportunities," Soucy said. "We got caught up on a couple of defensive rotations and you can't do that when you’re trying to battle back against a good team that is playing at a high level."

Monday's game was a makeup that had already been rescheduled twice, creating a unique situation where the teams would play a home-and-home. They were scheduled to play Wednesday at Pelham, but the weather looks like it will postpone that one.

"We’re still preparing as if we’re playing Wednesday," Soucy said. "We know each other so well, so that doesn't matter. You could say we should play in a couple of weeks, but why? They aren't going to change things and we aren't going to change things. We just have to throw the ball up and play on Wednesday."