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# Pair of Bulldogs shine in Bedford boys basketball's win over Exeter
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/pair-of-bulldogs-shine-in-bedford-boys-basketballs-win-over-exeter/
- Published: 2025-01-17T16:30:21.000Z
- Updated: 2025-01-17T16:30:21.000Z
- Description: EXETER – Logan O’Connell has thrived in becoming the top scoring threat for the Bedford High School boys basketball team this winter, but he knows a lot of his success has been parlayed from the blossoming play of senior center Connor O’Rourke. O’Rourke’s emergence as an overall presence in the pain
- Author: Dan Doyon
- Tags: Division I, Bedford, boys basketball, Exeter, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

EXETER – Logan O’Connell has thrived in becoming the top scoring threat for the Bedford High School boys basketball team this winter, but he knows a lot of his success has been parlayed from the blossoming play of senior center Connor O’Rourke.

O’Rourke’s emergence as an overall presence in the paint has opened up the court for O’Connell to do his damage and the combination proved vital during Thursday night’s matchup against Exeter.

While O’Connell led Bedford with 22 points, O’Rourke controlled the frontcourt and finished with 15 points during a 72-58 Division I victory for the Bulldogs.

“When you talk about unsung heroes, that’s Connor,” O’Connell said. “He does all the dirty work and the stuff that doesn’t come on the scoresheet. We’re not winning games by a lot of points or tight games without him.”

O’Rourke didn’t play major minutes during Bedford’s run to last year’s Division I semifinals, but his 6-foot-6 frame and work ethic has developed him into an integral part of Bedford’s 6-2 start to the season.

“Picking up some more minutes has definitely been huge for me and I’ve gained more confidence on court,” O’Rourke said. “I just know my job. My job is to go out there and get rebounds, get putbacks, box out and do the dirty work down low.”

O’Rourke’s effort on Thursday came after a 7-block performance during Tuesday’s 59-58 home loss to Winnacunnet in which Bedford got off to a slow start.

“It was a great bounce-back win and we really needed it,” O’Rourke said. “We needed to turn it around because if we get in a hole, this season could go differently.”

O’Rourke has been a double-double machine by averaging nearly 11 points a game with 12 rebounds and four blocks. He scored his season-high of 18 points during last Tuesday’s 93-72 win over Pinkerton Academy.

“I think he is the most improved player in the state from last year to this year,” Bedford coach Frank Moreno said. “He got very little time for us last year and he’s been tremendous for us on both ends of the floor. He does all the dirty work. He rebounds, defends and blocks shots. He’s a big, big foundation of what we’re doing.”

Bedford’s rebound win on Thursday was highlighted by how it closed out the first and second quarters. Exeter’s Nate McNeff (24 points) gave Exeter an early lead before the Bulldogs closed out the first quarter with a 10-0 run to take a 17-9 lead into the second.

Exeter (5-3) closed to within 21-18 midway through the second when Bedford took control by ending the quarter with a 14-3 streak to take a 35-21 lead into halftime. O’Connell began the run with a steal-and-feed to Landon Ellsmore and ended it with a hoop at the buzzer.

“We had a few minutes that we would've liked to get back,” Exeter coach Jeff Holmes said. “We had a couple of minutes where we played really, really poorly and they really capitalized on us. They’re too good of a team to make that many turnovers.”

Moreno believes that O’Rourke’s progression will only make Bedford more dangerous in a season that continues next Tuesday at Dover.

“He’s got some springs and he really gets up and down the court,” Moreno said. “He's a tremendous help. He can handle the ball and he’s very versatile. He’s a big part of what we’re doing right now.”