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# Portsmouth boys basketball not taking success in D1 for granted
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/portsmouth-boys-basketball-not-taking-success-d1-granted/
- Published: 2017-02-14T14:10:11.000Z
- Updated: 2017-02-14T14:10:11.000Z
- Description: Jim Mulvey looked up at the scoreboard while talking about the Portsmouth High School boys basketball team's latest win. The Clippers had dispatched Londonderry on the road by 20 points, their 35th win in a row and 13th since moving up to Division I this year, but the coach didn't sound like someone
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, boys basketball, NH High School Sports Insider, Portsmouth, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

Jim Mulvey looked up at the scoreboard while talking about the Portsmouth High School boys basketball team's latest win.

The Clippers had dispatched Londonderry on the road by 20 points, their 35th win in a row and 13th since moving up to Division I this year, but the coach didn't sound like someone who expected such a thing to happen.

"It's hard to win on the road in this division," Mulvey said. "I know we walk out of here with a (20-point win), but it sure doesn't feel like it ever. These teams are all good and playing on the road is tough. Every time you go on the road, it feels different."

Of Portsmouth's 13 wins this season, six have been on the road by an average of 24.3 points. The Clippers' closest game of the season came away from home, in a nine-point win at Bishop Guertin, the only game this year where the Clippers' opponent has been within single digits at the end.

The win Saturday over the Lancers was the start of a stretch to the end the year where the Clippers will play four of their final six games away from home.

Tuesday will bring the team's biggest road challenge so far, as Portsmouth heads to Merrimack (9-2) to play in one of the toughest gyms in the state.

"I've seen (Merrimack) so many times and they're really physical and big," Mulvey said. "They're going to try to beat up Joey (Glynn) just like Londonderry tried to do at the beginning of the game. They're even more physical, they're bigger, they're thicker. On the road, at Merrimack, that's going to be a good crowd. They have a great coach."

The Tomahawks also have one of the best defenses in the division, allowing 48.2 points per game, which ranks second in the division behind only ... Portsmouth.

Despite averaging almost 72 points per game on offense, it's been the defense that has driven the Clippers this season, and against Londonderry, it took a more focused effort in the second half for that to happen.

"Our offense feeds off the defense," Mulvey said. "(Glynn) was always on a kid who wasn't looking to score, so he was supposed to be the helper, but he kept going to his guy, which we didn't have to have. Christian (Peete) was running around with (Jake) Coleman and it would open up the other kids. Joey did a better job in the second half.

"This is the fourth game in a row Christian has held a guy to half his average. He's a great defender, so that helps. I think he's the best defender in the state by far."

Against Merrimack, Peete's likely assignment would be guarding Ian Cummings, who is the Tomahawks' main threat on offense. That could make for a long night for Merrimack.

After Tuesday's game, Portsmouth returns home to take on Nashua South and then heads back on the road to face Salem and Winnacunnet before finishing the season against Alvirne.

"This is why we wanted to move up this year," Mulvey said. "We got Exeter, Londonderry, Merrimack, Nashua South and Winnacunnet. It's a lot for the kids. We've got a bunch of great kids who grind it really well."