Bedford v. Manchester Memorial: Beware of Dog

Bash Hudson

January 6, 2022 @ 11:11 AM

Wednesday night, I traveled to Manchester, New Hampshire, to see powerhouse Bedford High play Manchester Memorial. Bedford came out on top 54-36 in a game where they controlled from start to finish. Below are the standouts.   Player of the Game: <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-372851" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/454419A1-D164-4EA3-AEFE-154F334032D4-scaled-crop-1852x1216-1641488609-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="361079" first="Lana" last="McCarthy"] - Bedford - 6’3’’ - PF - ’24 McCarthy was scary good Wednesday night and made a case for being one of the most unguardable forces in her class. Any rebound she wanted, she got, and McCarthy was relentless on second-chance opportunities. Manchester Memorial had to foul to make McCarthy earn her points at the free-throw line if she didn’t get the easy layup. Finishing with a 20-point double-double, McCarthy was too strong and powerful around the basket to be contained. Her hands are elite, and the list is short of teams with a player who can battle McCarthy on the block successfully.   Bedford Standouts: [player_tooltip player_id="282804" first="Kate" last="Allard"] - 6’2’’ - SF/PF - ’25 The freshman Allard has had a very good season and continued to show her progression with 16 points vs. Manchester Memorial. Like McCarthy, Allard was excellent around the rim, showing her finishing ability with both hands, rebounding at a high level, and often getting to the foul line. The element that Allard brings to the table which makes her unique is that she is a confident ball handler, for her size, who can slash and stretch the floor with her shooting.   [player_tooltip player_id="288651" first="Lyla" last="Stein"] - 5’5’’ - CG - ’25 Stein was another freshman for Bedford who popped in their win. Her intensity on defense and on-ball tenacity stood out like a sore thumb. I liked how Stein dug in, kept the ball handler in front of her, and forced turnovers and jump balls. Stein also provided some scoring punch off the bench, netting 6 points which were tied for third on the team.   Manchester Memorial Standouts:   [player_tooltip player_id="296148" first="Torle" last="Adumene"] - 5’8’’ - SF - ’24 Adumene’s hustle and energy gave Manchester Memorial a big spark off the bench. She displayed her ability to stretch the floor with long-range shooting, attacked the basket hard, and earned a couple of trips to the free-throw line. The high motor forward impacted the glass and on defense, most noticeably in transition. Adumene’s athleticism makes her one of Manchester Memorial’s most versatile players who can play in and outside.   [player_tooltip player_id="372853" first="Paige" last="Thibault"] - 5’8’’ - SG/SF - ’22 Thibault led Manchester Memorial with 11 points and showed the ability to score from 3 levels. Her drives to the basket were strong. She showed the athleticism and agility to get in the paint and around defenders in pursuit of the basket. Thibault had to play point for many possessions due to injuries. I thought she did a good job securing the ball and initiating the offense for her team despite point guard not being her natural position.   [player_tooltip player_id="297895" first="Elizabeth" last="Barrientos"] - 5’9’’ - PF - ’22 Barrientos’ effort and toughness on defense jumped out at me Wednesday night. Guarding [player_tooltip player_id="361079" first="Lana" last="McCarthy"] is one of the most challenging covers for any big, nevermind one who is 5’9’’. I was impressed how with every possession she fought and gave 100% when defending the post. Barrientos finished with 7 points and had a couple strong moves on the block.