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# Nashua North boys basketball makes last-minute comeback to beat Nashua South in Nashua Holiday Tournament (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/nashua-north-boys-basketball-makes-last-minute-comeback-to-beat-nashua-south-in-nashua-holiday-tournament-video/
- Published: 2025-12-29T21:00:13.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-29T21:00:13.000Z
- Description: NASHUA - In his first year as head coach of the Nashua High School North boys basketball team, Kyle Tave has tried to find how far the Titans will get pushed before they push back. North might have found that point Sunday against Nashua South in the finale of the Nashua Holiday Boys Basketball Tourn
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, boys basketball, Nashua Holiday Basketball Tournament, Nashua North, Nashua South, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

NASHUA - In his first year as head coach of the Nashua High School North boys basketball team, Kyle Tave has tried to find how far the Titans will get pushed before they push back.

North might have found that point Sunday against Nashua South in the finale of the Nashua Holiday Boys Basketball Tournament.

Up 15 points late in the third quarter, the Titans watched as the Panthers went on a 16-0 run to take the lead with about six minutes left in regulation. North responded by staying in the game, keeping it close enough to make a 5-0 run in the final minute to grab a 73-72 win over South to win the tournament title for the second year in a row and third time in for seasons.

Josh Sullivan led the way for the Titans, 21 of his game-high 28 points in the first half, while Tyson Hoang had 15 of his 19 points in the second half. Sean Battle also had eight points for North, which hit seven 3-pointers, four by Sullivan.

The Titans looked like they were in trouble after back-to-back baskets by Shane Lemire and Francisco Rodriguez Malagon put the Panthers up 72-68 with under a minute remaining.

A 3-pointer by Andrew Kargbo got North within one, and after a South turnover, Evan Linscott hit a jumper with 23.4 seconds remaining to give the Titans the win.

“Basketball is a game of runs and (South is) too good to not make a run,” Tave said. “It was a matter of our mental toughness, and that’s what we talked about, what’s your breaking point. That’s something we’re working on, is how to finish games. I’m really proud of their actions on the court.”

Lemire had 14 of his 19 points in the second half while Daniel Karavanic led the Panthers with 21 points. Rigo Challinger came off the bench to score 17 points, including the seven of the first nine of South's 16-0 run, while Rodriguez Malagon was also in double figures with 11 points.

But after getting the lead, South couldn't hang on, and Lemire's attempt in the final seconds was off the mark to give North the victory.

“They came up with a couple off loose balls,” South coach Nate Mazerolle said. “They got a couple of offensive rebounds in the last couple of minutes where we were watching them go get rebounds. They were the harder working team (Sunday).”

North had a 19-14 lead after one, but South came back to tie the game three times in the first half of the second quarter. But after a 3-pointer by Karavanic made it a two-point game, the Titans closed the half on a 9-2 run to take a 39-30 lead into halftime.

The Titans quickly got the lead up to double digits to open the second half and kept it there for most of the third. A 3 by Hoang with 1:14 left in the quarter made it 58-43 Titans, but Challinger got South back in the game almost by himself.

The junior made a pair of free throws after Hoang's 3, then after a turnover by the Panthers in the final 12 seconds, Challinger stole the inbounds pass and scored. He did it again, this time finding Lemire for a basket at the buzzer to make it 58-49 North after three.

“He’s a very good basketball player,” Mazerolle said of Challinger. “Still getting him accustomed to the system we’re trying to do, and he does a lot of good things well. He definitely changed the tempo of the game and gave us a little boost.”

A 3 by Challinger and a basket by Lemire got the Panthers within four, 58-54, when the Titans took a timeout. But out of the break, South got a score from Lemire and a 3 from Karavanic to go up 59-58 with just over six minutes remaining.

Hoang ended the drought for North, giving the Titans the lead back, and the teams traded the lead six times over the next four minutes. Hoang tied it at 68 with 1:50 to go, setting up the finish.

“We might not be the biggest group, and we know that, but we’ve got to outscrap it,” Tave said. “I think you’re starting to see them gel a little bit and that went a long way (Sunday). Come fourth quarter, they’re picking each other up rather than pointing fingers. So that was really nice to see.”