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# Merrimack boys basketball ends Nashua South's tourney run
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/merrimack-boys-basketball-ends-nashua-souths-tourney-run/
- Published: 2015-12-30T18:42:34.000Z
- Updated: 2015-12-30T18:42:34.000Z
- Description: Merrimack ends Nashua South's tournament run, advances to final
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, boys basketball, Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament, Merrimack, Nashua South, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

NASHUA - Tim Goodridge would like to see his Merrimack High School boys basketball team score more points this season.

But if the Tomahawks play defense like they have been, it's not going to matter how much better the offense plays.

It's tough to lose when no one can score against you.

![jmMerNSbball122915 M4S13-1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jmmernsbball122915-m4s13-1.jpg)

Merrimack's Zak Kerr drives around Nashua South's John Paul Champa.

Merrimack once again turned in a suffocating defensive performance Tuesday, shutting down Nashua South from start to finish in a 54-25 win over the Panthers in the Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament at South.

The win sends the Tomahawks to the championship game Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., where they will face Nashua North. The Titans defeated Alvirne in the other semifinal.

"We have a group of kids right now that want to play defense," Goodridge said. "It’s that simple. They communicate. They talk about screens. It’s almost like old-time basketball. These kids can communicate and play good defense."

Merrimack also got balanced scoring, as Ian Roberts led the way with 11 points while Zak Kerr and Ian Cummungs added 10 points each. Andrew Wojciak chipped in with eight points and also led the way defensively on South's DJ Frechette.

\[[Click on this link to see more photos from this game.](https://nh-highschoolsports.smugmug.com/Winter-Sports/Basketball/2015-Chick-Fil-A-Holiday/?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com)\]

One night after scoring 26 points against Souhegan, Frechette had just 12 points, and no one else had more than three for the Panthers.

"I think they were very physical with DJ," South coach Nate Mazerolle said. "They always had someone there on help-side when he received the ball so they were daring someone else to step up and we didn’t. Being physical, and they funneled him toward help-side, and he got frustrated, as we all did."

Merrimack led 10-6 after one quarter and it was a 12-9 game for most of the second before the Tomahawks went on an 8-2 run in the final 2:04 of the half.

That run continued into the third quarter, as Merrimack scored 10 of the first 13 points - an 18-5 run overall - to take a 30-14 lead.

![Nashua South's DJ Frechette looks to drive around Merrimack's Andrew Wojiack.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jmmernsbball122915-m11s12-2.jpg)

Nashua South's DJ Frechette looks to drive around Merrimack's Andrew Wojiack.

South managed to play Merrimack even for the rest of the frame, and scored 10 points in the third, just the third quarter in four games that the Tomahawks have allowed double digits.

"Is that going to happen all year long? It’d be pretty unrealistic, let’s not kid ourselves," Goodridge said. "Those are phenomenal numbers.

"We were very focused on (Frechette). He’s a very good player. I think Andrew Wojciak had a heck of a game, not only on Frechette. Defensively, he’s solid all night, and he hit some big shots for us. He was a great player for us. At times, we ran two guys at Frechette. He’s a great player and we dogged him the whole game. We made him work."

With the Panthers trailing by 18 points early in the fourth quarter, Mazerolle went to his bench for the rest of the game. Now that South's tournament title run is done - the Panthers had won four holiday titles in a row - Mazerolle expects to play with a deeper bench in the third-place game against Alvirne.

"This is a game where we can do that certainly," he said. "We had some guys show some things. That’s always a positive."

Merrimack will try to shut down a North offense that's averaged almost 69 points in three games this season.

"We’re going to have our hands full with North," Goodridge said. "They’ve got some excellent shooters and players. We’ll see what happens."