Both Pelham High School basketball teams secured dramatic one-point victories Saturday night to advance in their respective NHIAA tournament competitions, according to game results.
The boys basketball team edged seventh-seeded Bow 47-46 in a Division 2 quarterfinal matchup, improving their record to 15-4. Brady Hegan led the Pythons with 20 points in the hard-fought victory.
Bow jumped out to an early 10-1 lead, but Pelham responded with strong play over the middle quarters. The Pythons outscored the Falcons 26-17 over the second and third periods to take a 36-29 advantage heading into the final frame, according to the game recap.
Pelham extended their lead to 11 points late in the fourth quarter before Bow mounted a furious rally that cut the deficit to just one point. The Pythons managed to hold on for the narrow victory despite the late pressure.
Luke Estell and Gavin Hastie each contributed eight points to support Hegan’s scoring effort. The boys team will now face third-seeded Manchester West in a semifinal game scheduled for Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Rochester Rec Center.
On the girls side, the Pythons captured an equally thrilling 44-43 victory over Hollis-Brookline in their Division 2 quarterfinal matchup at home. Fourth-seeded Pelham improved to 16-4 with the win over fifth-seeded Hollis-Brookline, who finished their season at 15-5.
Grace Riley delivered a clutch performance for the Pythons, overcoming foul trouble to score nine of her game-high 16 points in the decisive fourth quarter. Pelham had built a 22-16 halftime advantage before the final quarter heroics sealed the victory.
Freshman Harlow Barron provided crucial bench support with five points, while Ava Milley, Tatum Dzierlatka and Jessie Phillips also played starring roles in the victory, according to the game report.
The girls team advances to face top-seeded Pembroke in a semifinal contest scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Exeter.
Other local tournament results included disappointing outcomes for Alvirne teams across multiple sports. The boys basketball team fell 62-60 to Trinity in a Division 1 quarterfinal game in Manchester, ending their season with a 13-7 record after what was described as a valiant effort against the third-seeded opponent.
In boys hockey, top-seeded Alvirne/Milford suffered a stunning 6-1 defeat to eighth-seeded Somersworth in a Division 2 quarterfinal at Skate 3 in Tyngsboro. The Admirals concluded what was characterized as a terrific season with a 14-5 record.
Bishop Guertin advanced in Division 1 boys hockey with a 4-1 victory over sixth-seeded Keene, also at Skate 3 in Tyngsboro. Dominic Trepanier scored two goals for the Nashua school, while Jordan O’Hearn and Cam Auger added single tallies. Third-seeded Bishop Guertin moves on to face the winner of the Trinity-Hanover matchup in the semifinals.
The tournament victories mark significant achievements for both Pelham basketball programs as they continue their pursuit of state championships in their respective divisions. The narrow margins of victory demonstrate the competitive balance in NHIAA tournament play, where single possessions can determine season outcomes.
