Panthers working hard to erase last basketball season

Nate Mazerolle is using an unfamiliar word to describe the Nashua High School South boys basketball team.

Underdog.

Only once before in his dozen years leading the Panthers has Mazerolle ever thought of his team in that way, and that was in the first season following the split.

“I knew we had a bunch of sophomores who had played middle school before,” Mazerolle said of the 2004-05 season. “We were the underdogs. This year we are, but in a good way. I want to have that identity. When you’re the underdog you always work hard than the opponent.

“Last year, the injury up front before the season, that put a damper on things, but I didn’t think it would be what it was. I would not have gone into the season saying we were underdogs last year.”

What the 2009-10 season was for the Panthers was historical. South went 3-15 in Class L, and for the first time, missed the tournament.

“That was the first purple and white team never to make the tournament – in forever,” Mazerolle said. “That was a tough pill to swallow. We can make all the excuses we want, it wouldn’t get us anywhere. We didn’t make the tournament and we won three games. Since about March 4, it’s been about making sure that doesn’t happen again.”

The Panthers are off to a good start. According to Mazerolle, the effort being put in through the first two weeks of practice has been some of the best he’s seen.

“The last two days have been the best two days of practice we’ve had in years,” Mazerolle said after practice on Tuesday. “The kids are focused. The kids are working hard and doing everything we ask them. I don’t know if we’re going to be the most talented team, but if we progress the way things have gone, I think we’ll be OK when it matters.”

That’s because South has been doing the little things in practice. For example, the Panthers each shoot 10 free throws at each session, and if anyone misses more than two, the whole team runs.

“If you make six (free throws), that’s two and I count every one up,” Mazerolle said. “We’ve had 15 or 17 (misses), so our free throw shooting needs work. But when they sprint, they have to go across the floor and put their foot in the purple on each side.

“It’s a given, but in years past, kids will cheat and be six inches short. An assistant coach turned to me and said ‘I didn’t say a word and every single kid on every single sprint touched his foot in the purple.’ Just a little thing like that, where we are not going to cut corners. I’m as upbeat as I’ve been after a first week as I can remember.”

The Panthers have another full week to go before they open their season. South will travel to Concord on Dec. 17 to face the Crimson Tide at 6:30 p.m.