Milliken taking on slightly different role for Lebanon boys basketball

Ryan Milliken felt like he had, at some time, scored more points than he did in the Lebanon High School boys basketball team's win over Goffstown last Thursday.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, it had been on the court at the Carter Community Building Association rec center, not in a game that had counted in the Division II standings.

Milliken's 26 points, including five 3-pointers, in Lebanon's 76-35 win over the Grizzlies had the senior guard smiling as he described how on his team was in the first half of the game.

"That was the best half we've played all year, definitely," he said. "We kind of just played really good defense and turned that into our offense. We passed the ball around really well and just played as a team. We have a lot of guys on our team that can just play basketball."

Lebanon led 50-13 at halftime, and twice held Goffstown without a point for more than six minutes. But the biggest highlights came from Milliken, who has finally found his shot in the last couple of weeks.

"He's a football player, and he's a great football player," Lebanon coach Kieth Matte said. "He comes into the season banged up every year, so it takes time. He's a halfback, he carries the ball I don't know how many times. It takes him a little time to get in the groove of basketball. Most of our kids shoot all fall, but he's so valuable to the football program, he can't."

Matte knew it was a matter of time before Milliken's shooting touch came back, but with fellow senior guard KJ Matte out with injury for most of the season, the Raiders (13-1) needed someone else to step up when it came to scoring.

Milliken had been that guy of late, hitting a combined 10 3s in wins over Kingswood and Goffstown, and then added 17 points in a victory against Souhegan on Friday.

"It's a big difference," Milliken said. "It puts a lot more points up on the board, not just for me, but for the team. Guys are going to guard the drive and they're not going to expect me to shoot the 3. If I'm hot, then it's either drive or shoot, so they're off-balance more now."

With one of the quickest first steps to the basket in the state, Milliken was already tough to guard for most opponents, but adding the long-distance shooting makes it next to impossible.

"We know he likes to go North-South and get to the rim," Goffstown coach Mike Gasper said. "Now he's added that and it makes him so tough. Many of those jump shots, I thought were contested, and he finds a way."