Lebanon
Graham Chickering found himself with his back to Goffstown’s basket, two defenders in his way, his feet off the ground and few other options with the basketball. So he did what any guy might do in such a circumstance: He just tossed the ball blindly over his right shoulder and hoped for the best.
The shot went down, as did a load of others for top-ranked Lebanon in its 62-42 NHIAA Division II boys hoop quarterfinal win over No. 8 Goffstown on Saturday night at Lang Metcalf Gym.
Senior Ryan Milliken excelled beyond the 3-point arc and in transition during a 26-point night, and the Raiders (18-1 league) used a 20-0 run wrapped around halftime to book a trip to Wednesday’s semifinals at UNH’s Lundholm Gym.
“Our best game of the year was against them (a 76-35 win at Goffstown on Feb. 16); we just hit everything,” Milliken said. “This year, in the playoffs, they played a really tough defense, better than they did last game. They were just a lot tougher team.”
Credit Ryan Hall for that.
The Goffstown senior missed the regular-season matchup with Lebanon because of a concussion. Fully healthy, he helped the Grizzlies (12-9) stay competitive until drawing his third foul of the game with 3:21 left in the first half.
Without his offense, Goffstown wilted. The Raiders scored the last 14 points of the first half to turn a 23-18 deficit into a 32-23 lead, then added the next six points of the third quarter before the visitors turned a number on the scoreboard again, a drought covering more than eight minutes of game time.
“We did a pretty good job on him today,” Lebanon coach Kieth Matte said of Hall. “That was Graham and Ryan; they did an unbelievable job on him defensively. … Those two really made the difference defensively.”
Goffstown came out in a 3-2 zone, which had the effect of rendering the Raiders incapable of using their athleticism to turn the game into a transition track meet. The teams punched and counterpunched through the first 12 minutes, with Hall scoring 10 points, grabbing four rebounds and turning a steal into his final basket 100 seconds into the second period.
The combatants tied four times and exchanged the lead twice by the time Goffstown’s Ethan Skinner buried a 3-pointer with 4:55 left in the half for that 23-18 advantage. Hall drew his third foul moments later went to the bench.
Lebanon had the game in hand by the time he returned. Impressive early, Hall went scoreless the rest of the night.
“Honestly, I don’t think there’s a better guard triplet in all of D-II, maybe D-I even,” Chickering said of Milliken and fellow backcourt partner K.J. Matte (14 points). “We really know how to play off each other’s strengths. We each have different game skills that we try to utilize and play off each other.”
Milliken particularly grabbed the spotlight. The 5-foot-10 senior started the half-ending portion of the decisive run with a Matte-fed layup, adding a lane runner after a Chris Nulty 3-ball. Four free throws and a Milliken trifecta put Lebanon up by nine at the break.
Milliken welcomed the second half with another 3-pointer, and Matt Eylander’s three-point play closed the 20-point barrage with Lebanon holding a 38-23 lead two minutes into the third quarter. Aided by one of Connor Hujsak’s triples, the Grizzlies got within 38-29 about three minutes later, but Lebanon quickly recovered.
Chickering signaled the hosts’ well-being with his circus-shot hoop in the final seconds of the period.
“Ryan kind of threw that pass, and both their guys kind of got on it, so when I was picking up (the dribble), I felt like was fouled a little bit,” Chickering confessed. “I was just looking for the free throws. Miracles happen, I guess.”
Chickering’s what-the-heck heave brought down the house. The whole of the Raiders brought down the Grizzlies.
Free Throws: Milliken confirmed after the game that he’ll be attending Springfield (Mass.) College in the fall to play football. Milliken said he’d also like to try basketball or track at Springfield, but hasn’t decided which. … With their latest NHIAA Division II state championship plaque in tow, the members of Lebanon High girls basketball team were honored at halftime for their latest title. … Among the faces in the crowd: former Dartmouth men’s basketball coach Paul Cormier, whose ex-lieutenant and one-time successor, Dave Faucher, is a Lebanon volunteer assistant coach. … Nulty finished with 10 points for the Raiders. … Lebanon held a 16-14 lead after one quarter, even as Goffstown converted five of seven field-goal attempts. One was a mid-court 3-point heave attempting to beat the buzzer. … The Raiders will take on the only team to beat them in league play this year, No. 4 Hollis Brookline, in Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal at UNH. The Cavaliers, who rolled over No. 5 Manchester West on Friday, 51-35, handed Lebanon a 61-51 defeat in Hollis, N.H., on Jan. 20. No. 2 Milford at No. 3 Coe-Brown will face off in the 5:30 p.m. semifinal.
Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or 603-727-3226.