Top 10 New Hampshire Boys High School Basketball State Rankings (1/13/2025)

Portsmouth ascends to the No. 1 spot in our weekly rankings; four new squads join the Top 10

Undefeated Portsmouth is the new No. 1 team in our New Hampshire boys high school basketball state rankings. / Portsmouth Basketball Instagram

1. Portsmouth (6-0)

Previous rank: 2

The Clippers are young – they start two freshmen and three juniors – but they’re the only unbeaten team in Division I. Right now they’re the clear choice to be at the top of this list.

2. Trinity (5-1)

Previous rank: 1

Trinity dropped from the top spot following last Tuesday’s 61-56 loss to Bishop Guertin, but rebounded with a 72-61 road victory against a good Nashua South team on Friday. The Pioneers have three players scoring in double figures and may be the deepest team in the state.

3. Keene (5-1)

Previous rank: 3

Keene is a veteran team that has no problem scoring. The Blackbirds beat Goffstown 86-57 Tuesday and Concord 93-39 Friday. They also have quality wins against Merrimack, Alvirne and Nashua South.

4. Bedford (5-1)

Previous rank: 4

The Bulldogs have won five in a row since opening the season with a 73-66 loss at No. 2 Trinity. Friday’s 71-48 victory over Manchester Memorial was a statement win.

5. Merrimack (4-1)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Merrimack will carry a four-game winning streak into Tuesday’s game at No. 1 Portsmouth. The Tomahawks haven’t faced many strong teams yet – their victories have come against Timberlane (0-7), Spaulding (1-5), Londonderry (4-2) and Manchester Central (1-5) – but their only loss was a double-overtime setback at No. 3 Keene.

6. Nashua South (4-2)

Previous rank: 5

Senior guard Josh Caruso is the top scorer in Division I (26.0 ppg) and the Panthers have two of the state’s top big men in Josh Tripp and Daniel Karavanic, but they need to find another scorer on the perimeter. Seven of the team’s next eight games are against teams that are at or above .500.

7. Exeter (4-2)

Previous rank: 7

We’re about to find out what we need to know about Exeter, which faces a Nashua North team Tuesday that has won three in a row and then has games against No. 4 Bedford and No. 2 Trinity.

8. Oyster River (5-0)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Matt Jernigan (19.7 ppg) and the Bobcats are the highest-ranked non-Division I team in this week’s Top 10. Oyster River and Merrimack Valley are the only unbeaten teams in Division II and they’ll meet in Durham on Tuesday.

9. Belmont (7-0)

Previous rank: Not ranked

A Division III team in the Top 10? Well, the Red Raiders aren’t your typical Division III team. They have a 6-foot-6, a 6-foot-5 and a 6-foot-4 player up front, and opponents have struggled against that size. Belmont hasn’t allowed more than 50 points in a game and four of its seven opponents failed to reach 30.

10. Merrimack Valley (5-0)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Merrimack Valley returned three starters from last season and filled in the cracks with players from a junior varsity team that finished 17-1 in 2023-24. Four of the team’s five wins are against teams below .500, but the Pride can prove it belongs by beating No. 8 Oyster River on the road Tuesday.