Manchester Central boys basketball continues progression in win over Goffstown (video)

GOFFSTOWN - For the Manchester Central High School boys basketball team, this season has been about the Little Green being better at the end than they were at the beginning.

That's included a lot of time learning from experiences through the first two months of the season, but especially after last Friday's two-point loss at home to Manchester Memorial.

Central atoned for that result with by storming out of the gate Tuesday afternoon against Goffstown and never letting up on the way to a 75-64 win over the Grizzlies in a Division I game.

The Little Green (4-8) led by 16 points at halftime and extend the lead to 20 early in the fourth quarter before Goffstown closed the gap late. The Grizzlies, who were coming off a big win of their own against Bedford last week, saw their six-game win streak come to an end.

“We were very mad that we lost to Memorial, so we knew that we were going to come out very hot against Goffstown,” Central senior Chris Gumaa said. “We think that there’s not game was can’t win,”

Gumaa did his part, as he had 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first half, including all five of his 3-pointers. Glodie Hamisi added 14 points and Kingston Patten was also in double figures with 13 points for the Little Green.

As a team, Central hit seven of its eight 3s in the first 16 minutes to help build a 41-25 lead at the break, then went to the basket in the third quarter to continue stretching the lead.

“I love that, just being able to adjust” Central coach Tim Lambrou said. “In the first half, they’re playing a zone, so we’re passing the ball, overloading one side, working out of a high-low with the wing and the corner.

“But then as soon as they go ma, my kids are very athletic, they can go to the hoop. That opens up the lane for us and we do have better driving lanes. We just need to move a little bit better away from the ball, but we’ll work on it.”

The switch on defense felt necessary for Goffstown, if it was going to try to get back into the game in the second half. The Grizzlies were able to get within 12 points a couple of times, including a few minutes into the fourth quarter, but just couldn't get enough stops to get closer.

“When we had to go man (on defense), it’s a very difficult matchup stylistically for us,” Goffstown coach Ryan Cowette said. “We were a step slow to start the game, so it really showed. Central was really good. Hopefully we learn from it.”

Liam O'Brien led the Grizzlies (8-4) with 22 points, including three of the team's 10 3-pointers, while Tyler Dionne added 15 points, with three 3s, and Drew Parnell hit two 3s and finished with 11 points.

A basket by O'Brien got Goffstown within 12 points, 49-37, with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter, but Central responded with a 10-3 run that helped put the Little Green up 61-43 going into the fourth.

In between quarters, Lambrou talked to his players about slowing the game down, taking as much time as they could off the clock on each possession.

But after Hamisi hit a pair of free throws to give Central a 20-point lead, Goffstown went on an 8-0 run, getting back-to-back 3s from O'Brien and Parnell to make it a 12-point game again. Lambrou took a timeout with 6:13 left to help the Little Green regroup.

“Just to calm down,” the coach said of his message during the timeout. “We’re still going to be aggressive, looking to score, but just to be relaxed.”

Central got the lead back up to 16 points before both teams emptied the benches with about two minutes remaining.

"They work hard and now they’re starting to get more patient offensively and they’re still bringing the defensive pressure,” Lambrou said. “We’re getting better day by day.”