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# Souhegan knocks off Lebanon to reach D2 boys basketball final
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/souhegan-knocks-off-lebanon-to-reach-d2-boys-basketball-final/
- Published: 2013-03-14T20:10:21.000Z
- Updated: 2013-03-14T20:10:21.000Z
- Description: DURHAM – Brandon Len has gone crashing through the lane too many times to count.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division III-IV, Winter Sports, boys basketball, Division II, Lebanon, playoffs, Souhegan, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

DURHAM – Brandon Len has gone crashing through the lane too many times to count.

Sometimes, it means taking a hard foul and ending up on the floor, but when Len was knocked down early in No. 7 Souhegan High School’s Division II boys basketball semifinal game Wednesday against No. 3 Lebanon, it looked like the senior was finally down for the count.

Len was fouled by Lebanon’s Nic Shepard and bounced his face off the floor hard enough to make a crunch. As Len laid on the court, the referees asked if he was OK.

![Souhegan's Tyler Ford goes in for a layup over Lebanon's Austin Pelletier during Wednesday's game. For more photos, go to the Photo Album.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jmshsbball031313-s3-1.jpg)

Souhegan's Tyler Ford goes in for a layup over Lebanon's Austin Pelletier during Wednesday's game. For more photos, go to the Photo Album.

“There’s no way I’m passing up these free throws,” he told them, and he made 1 of 2.

While he didn’t come out of the game then, Len had to in the second quarter, when an inadvertent elbow caught him in the mouth, drawing blood.

“AJ Hayes went up to block a shot and I went over to contest it and he came down right there,” Len said, pointing to his mouth. “I think that’s what loosened it. I smashed my face. It was a rough game.”

But it was a game the Sabers won, 53-45, thanks to Len’s 21 points and 12 points and 11 boards from Jake Kennedy. Souhegan will now face No. 1 Pembroke in the division championship game at noon Saturday at the University of New Hampshire.

While Len and Kennedy filled up the state sheet, the Souhegan defense – led by Tanner Kent, Zach Simmonds and Tyler Ford – contained Lebanon’s David Hampton. When the team’s played during the regular season, Hampton went for 35 points; on Wednesday, he had just 10.

“He had 30-plus points on us last time,” Souhegan coach Mike Heaney said. “The kid can really shoot. We tried to control him a little bit. We gave up a couple to him, but we did a pretty good job.”

Souhegan (14-7) got off to a fast start, jumping ahead 9-0 in the first quarter, while Lebanon (16-5) struggled to hang on to the ball. The Sabers led 17-8 after one and 32-23 at halftime.

“You can tell Souhegan has been here before,” Lebanon coach Kieth Matte said. “We came out and were a little jittery. It was a big hole to dig out of. Sometimes you get down nine or 10 and it’s not a big deal, but when you get down to a really good team, a great point guard, a team that’s well-coached ...”

But the Raiders were able to get back in the game, and a 3-pointer by Kalin Sou tied the game 44-44 with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter.

“We dug our way out and I believe in my heart, we were one defensive stop from the win,” Matte said.

![Souhegan's Brandon Len drives to the basket.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jmshsbball031313-s42-5.jpg)

Souhegan's Brandon Len drives to the basket.

Lebanon didn’t get it. After a Raiders foul on the next possession, Len found Simmonds open in the corner for a 3 that put the Sabers up for good, 47-44 with 1:40 to play.

“It didn’t feel like a tie,” Kennedy said. “It felt like we were up the whole game. The one thing I kept saying was relax. It was not the time to panic and we didn’t.”

The Raiders turned the ball over on their next trip down the floor, and Souhegan worked the clock before Kent found Kennedy in the lane for a jumper with under a minute to play. Len hit all four of his free throws in the final 35 seconds to put the game away.

“It feels like you don’t have to coach a lot at that moment,” Heaney said. “You don’t have to panic and call a timeout. (Len is) going to take care of the ball, he’s going to make free throws if he’s fouled.”

For the third straight playoff game, Souhegan beat a team that it lost to during the regular season. The Sabers will take on a fourth Saturday in Pembroke.

“It’s unbelievable,” Len said. “It’s something that if you had told me we’d be playing for the championship at the beginning of the season, I’d have said yeah, absolutely. Midseason I might have been a little skeptical. I’m not saying I lost hope, but there were some serious ups and downs. We said all season, it’s how we play in March.”