At 12-2, Lakers boys make playoff seeding push

Inter-Lakes boys' basketball captain Zach Swanson drives to the hoop in an 83-41 win for the Lakers over Laconia Tuesday in Meredith. (David Carkhuff/The Laconia Daily Sun)

By DAVID CARKHUFF/THE LACONIA DAILY SUN

MEREDITH — The Inter-Lakes High boys' basketball team is on a roll, with playoffs looming in a little over two weeks, but the final regular season games will test the veteran team.

The Lakers, at 12-2, face Saint Thomas Aquinas High at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday (this game is listed as an away game and a makeup for a Feb. 7 contest that was snowed out); and at 6 p.m. on Friday, they host Winnisquam Regional High.

Inter-Lakes Coach Mike Rathgeber said, "We feel like we're rolling into playoff season, playing well."

On Tuesday, the Lakers dominated visiting Laconia 83-41, where the Inter-Lakes interior play and fast-break offense set the tone early.

Saint Thomas Aquinas High Coach Sean Murphy, whose team will face off with the Lakers Thursday, expected turnovers and rebounding to be key.

"We have been playing well as of late," Murphy reported, noting that prior to Wednesday night's contest with Sanborn (results were not available at press time), the team was 7-5, winning five of their last six after a 2-4 start to the season.

After taking on Meredith, Saint Thomas Aquinas High will travel to Berlin Friday, "so this is a big three-game stretch to give us an idea where we will stand heading into the playoffs," Murphy reported.

"We played Inter-Lakes early in the season in the Farmington Christmas tournament. They defeated us 54-34. I think both teams have improved since then. The biggest keys for us going into this game are taking care of the ball and rebounding. In the first game, Inter-Lakes did a good job forcing turnovers that lead to easy buckets for them. I thought they crushed us on the glass, getting several second chance points. If we can limit our turnovers and limit their second-chance opportunities, I think this will be a much improved game," he reported.

Jeff Cloos, athletic director at Inter-Lakes, noted that the Lakers returned several veteran players from a team that last year finished in the eighth seed. The squad lost in the first round of the playoffs last year.

"They have a lot of kids back," he said.

"They're playing really well, and they beat some really good teams," Cloos said.

"It shows that they're definitely competitive with the top teams."

Inter-Lakes made the playoffs, but "certainly their goal would be to get into the top four," Cloos said.

"If they win out, then there's a good chance they will be in the top four," he said, but cautioned that with Saint Thomas and Winnisquam this week and Newport and Laconia next week, nothing is settled.

The playoff seeding brings in the top 17 teams, and No. 16 plays No. 17 to winnow the field to 16. The top seed will play the No. 16 seed, and so on.

By the second round on Saturday, March 4, eight teams will remain.

The goal is to finish in the top four so Inter-Lakes can host first- and second-round games.

The season concludes (barring weather delays) on Tuesday, Feb. 21, when the team travels to Newport High; and on Friday, Feb. 24, when the Lakers visit Laconia. Both games are at 6 p.m.

Inter-Lakes boys' basketball senior Logan Taylor (No. 10) loses the ball in a collision with Laconia's Jake Ellis (No. 1) while Matt Duffield (No. 5) reacts in an 83-41 win for the Lakers over Laconia Tuesday in Meredith. (David Carkhuff/The Laconia Daily Sun)