Last-minute shot lifts Tomahawks

Friday, February 10, 2012

MERRIMACK – When Merrimack High School senior Jackson King decided to come out for basketball this winter he had no big expectations.

He came off the bench for the junior varsity the last time he played two winters ago.

But King, a football standout, missed basketball and knew, if nothing else, he could play a role, however small, on what figured to be a very successful team.

But with recent injuries to starting point guard Dimitri Floras and starting forward Jared Peabody, King’s hard-nosed play at practice earned him a spot in the starting lineup.

Now, Merrimack coach Tim Goodridge admits, it might be hard to get him out. It was King’s 3-pointer with 30 seconds left that provided the winning margin in Friday night’s 62-61 victory over Nashua South.

“I knew he was an athlete,” Goodridge said. “I didn’t know what to expect and he’s just improving every day.

“At the beginning of the year he was making Dimitri work hard in practice. Tonight he did so many positive things for us.”

Merrimack improved to 9-1 and continues to lead the Division I standings, but every coach in the league is realizing just how tough the league is night in and night out. Nobody more than South coach Nate Mazerolle.

After a 4-0 start, the Panthers have dropped six of their last seven to fall to 5-6, and they have two potential top four teams, Manchester Central and Alvirne, on the schedule next week.

“Tuesday night was a very bad loss,” Mazerolle said of a five-point loss at home to Winnacunnet of Hampton. “We were really disheartened, but I told them they could come out and play as hard as they can, play really well, and be 5-8.

“We just have to muddle through and play well enough to beat one of those top teams.”

South led 40-37 after a wild first half, with Merrimack sophomore guard Eric Gendron scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the first quarter and South senior guard Anthony Muccioli scored 13 of his game-high 19 in the seconds. South sophomore point guard Tim Preston had all 10 of his point s in the first half.

Merrimack put 6-foot-5 senior forward Tyler Gendron was able to slow down Muccioli in the second half, but the Panthers still led 61-59 on a pair of free throws by Jack Preson with 1:19 left.

After a timeout, the ball eventually found its way to King on the left sideline, and he hoisted up the game winner.

South would get a last chance, with Jack Preston back-rimming a 17-footer with a few seconds left and his brother grabbing the rebound in time to flip up an off-balance shot at the buzzer. But it was more of the same for the Panthers, whose last four losses have been by a total of nine points.

King finished with nine points for the Tomahawks, have a huge rebound in the final minute.

“I thought he was a football player,” Mazerolle said, “and he’s calm, cool and collected and knows down a pressure 3-pointer.”