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Pelham Pythons Boys Basketball '14-'15

Sat, Mar 14, 2015 03:00 PM @ Pelham
Team 1 2 3 4 Final
Conant 16 7 13 6 42
Pelham 18 12 10 11 51

Brown, Pelham win D3 state title

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Monday, March, 16 By Dave Dyer

HOOKSETT — When the going got tough, junior standout Keith Brown got the ball Saturday afternoon.

And, in front of a crowd of 2,000 fans, Brown and the No. 1 seed Pelham boys basketball team responded by defeating defending two-time champ Conant 51-42 at Southern New Hampshire University for the Division 3 state title.

“He (Brown) closed out the game for us,” said Pelham coach Matt Regan, whose club finished unbeaten in New Hampshire (22-0) and 24-1 overall. “That’s what your best player is supposed to do and he did it.

“This is just such a great accomplishment for the kids and they deserve it. They all put in so much time in the offseason.”

But it wasn’t easy against a smart, good-shooting Conant team (17-5) that stayed close throughout and, when point guard Josh Degrenier hit a 3-pointer with 5:58 left to play, trailed by just one point, 40-39.

That’s when Brown, who led all scorers with 20 points, all rebounders with 9 and had 4 assists, which was also most for both teams, took over.

 First, after pulling the ball out in a semi-delay, Brown sank a 3-pointer, making it 43-39 with 4:04 left. Two turns down the floor later, he ripped off a defensive rebound and fired it up the court to streaking Dylan Silvestri, who laid it in for a 45-39.

Brown then pulled off another defensive rebound, hustled downcourt, got the ball back and put on a nifty post move to make it 47-39 with 2:17 remaining. Conant, which was then forced to foul, could not recover.

“For the most part, we did a good job of containing Brown on the post, but when he made that 3-pointer I thought that was the game,” said Conant coach Eric Saucier. “You know he’s going to get his points and he did when they needed him.”

With Ryan Cloutier plagued by foul trouble, and good inside defense by Conant, Pelham’s offense was basically a three-man affair. Dylan Silvestri had 14 of his 16 points in a sizzling first half while Ryan Rondeau hit three 3-pointers for nine points.

Conant actually took an early lead in the game, 7-2, after a Degrenier 3-pointer at the 5:53 mark of the first quarter, but the Pythons took a timeout and then came on strong.

The unsung Silvestri took charge and scored 12 points in the first quarter as the Pythons grabbed an 18-16 lead. Two 3-pointers by Rondeau and more intense defense in the second quarter increased the lead at halftime to 30-23.

But, led by Degrenier and Nathan Wheeler (9 points), Conant clawed back to get within the one point before Brown took charge.

When it was over, the players hugged and celebrated, hoisting beloved manager Bryan Doherty on their shoulders and screaming for joy.

Regan, who was an assistant under current athletic director Todd Kress when Pelham last won a state title (Class I in 2006) was more reserved, but don’t be fooled.

“I don’t show my emotions much, but inside I’m really pumped,” said Regan. “It’s great for the kids but it’s nice to do this for our town. Our town loves basketball and you can see it by the way they support us.

“I knew last summer when we played so well in Hoops for Hope, beating teams like Andover and St. John’s Prep, that this was a special group, but it’s still incredible to do it.”

Said Brown: “It just feels great to get the state championship for the seniors. And it’s great to be undefeated (in New Hampshire). That makes it even better.”

 

Pelham 51, Conant 42

Division 3 State Final

Conant (42): Josh Degrenier 5 3-6 17, Simeon Hodgson 3 1-1 7, Nathan Wheeler 4 0-0 9, James Record 1 0-0 2, Kyle Dupuis 0 0-0 0, Craig Bilodeau 2 1-1 5. Totals 16 5-11 42

Pelham (51): Dylan Silvestri 8 0-0 16, Ryan Rondeau 3 0-0 9, Keith Brown 8 1-1 20, David Rogers 0 0-0 0, Ryan Cloutier 1 4-4 6, Kyle Frank 0 0-0 0, Cam Deloreto 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 5-8 51

3-pointers: C — Degrenier 4, Wheeler; P — Rondeau 3, Brown 3

Conant (17-5 in NH): 16  7 13  6 — 42

Pelham (24-1, 22-0 in NH): 18 12 10 11 — 51

Game Statistics:

Division 3 State Final

Conant (42): Josh Degrenier 5 3-6 17, Simeon Hodgson 3 1-1 7, Nathan Wheeler 4 0-0 9, James Record 1 0-0 2, Kyle Dupuis 0 0-0 0, Craig Bilodeau 2 1-1 5. Totals 16 5-11 42

Pelham (51): Dylan Silvestri 8 0-0 16, Ryan Rondeau 3 0-0 9, Keith Brown 8 1-1 20, David Rogers 0 0-0 0, Ryan Cloutier 1 4-4 6, Kyle Frank 0 0-0 0, Cam Deloreto 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 5-8 51

3-pointers: C — Degrenier 4, Wheeler; P — Rondeau 3, Brown 3

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