Mercado stepping up as another option for Nashua South boys basketball

It looked like a nightmare scenario for the Nashua High School South boys basketball team.

Trailing in the final minute against Nashua North, the Panthers got the ball inside to Max Osgood, but the senior was quickly surrounded by four Titans as he tried to make a move to the basket.

Trying to complete that move would have not ended well for South, but at the last moment, Osgood turned to his left and kicked the ball out to a wide-open Richie Mercado.

Without hesitating, Mercado let fly a 3-pointer that splashed through the net, giving South a 54-53 lead in the final 35 seconds of last Friday's game against North.

"We set (Max) in the post and the four guys on the perimeter," South coach Nate Mazerolle said. "It's just a matter of getting it inside and if Max has a move, he has a move. If not, he's very good at turning and looking opposite and kicking to the opener shooter."

After Osgood had scored at will in the first half, the Titans had been doing whatever they could to move him away from the basket in the second half.

"We had to get out of their mode of throw it in to Max and kill us in the paint," North coach Steve Lanes said. "We're not the biggest or most physical team, but Max got the ball, turned and scored at will."

It was a big basket for the Panthers in what turned into a 57-55 loss, but it was huge for Mercado.

"We talked about it, that Max is going to do what he does," Mazerolle said. "Kevin (Genao) is going to do what he does. We need someone else to be that third scorer to help us out and Richie has assumed that role. Richie is a tough kid. He's a very tough kid. We didn't wilt under pressure, and neither will he."

Mercado did just the opposite against the Titans. After a basket by Genao gave South a 47-38 lead just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Panthers went more than five minutes without scoring, finally breaking the drought on a 3-pointer by Mercado with 2:41 to play.

On North's next possession, the South junior forced a turnover and was fouled on his way to the basket. Mercado made one of two free throws, and after North's Skye Boykin made one of two of his own, Osgood set his teammate up for a go-ahead 3-pointer.

After Alonzo Linton gave North the lead back, Mercado went to the line with 5.5 seconds left and again made one of two free throws to tie the game at 55. In all, he scored South's final eight points of the game, and the Panthers only points over the final seven-plus minutes.

"We gave them 5.5 seconds to many," Mazerolle said. "It was a great basketball game, great finish at the end. I thought it was exactly what you want in a rivalry game. Other than some mistakes in the fourth quarter, we're going to make mistakes, other than that, I couldn't ask for more."