Danielle Walczak is our #1 ranked NH SeniorLast night the Mass & NH High School Basketball Report was on hand to watch Portsmouth High School take on Oyster River. The game featured our #1 ranked Senior Danielle Walczak and our #2 ranked Sophomore Kelsey Brown. Walczak, a 6-foot-1 center who has accepted a full basketball scholarship from the University of Maine, scored a game high 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in route to a 47-42 victory over Portsmouth.
In a good contest, Portsmouth was within two points after a Christina Jones basket with 4:10 to play, but the Clippers didn't score another basket for the remainder of the game. Nonetheless, Portsmouth still trailed by two and had a chance to tie the contest with 1:18 to play, but Susie French missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity. Oyster River squandered its opportunity to put the game away as well. The Bobcats were held to five points in the final quarter, and sophomore Kelsey Brown scored three of those five points from the free throw line in the final 14 seconds. Brown wound up with nine points on the evening. Walczak collected Oyster River's only field goal in the last quarter.
Portsmouth held its only lead after a Faith Jenkins basket made it a 21-19 game with 3:37 left in the second quarter, but the Clippers didn't score again in the first half. Oyster River closed the quarter with a 9-0 run that gave the Bobcats a 28-21 halftime lead. Oyster River took its largest lead, 42-32, when Isabel Gorham scored late in the third quarter. The Bobcats led 42-34 entering the final eight minutes.
Senior Portsmouth guard Susie French was a bright spot as she fought hard all game giving her team a chance to win. She finished with a team high 18 points.
The victory raised Oyster River's record to 4-0. The Bobcats have also beaten Coe-Brown (54-41), Bedford (42-38) and St. Thomas (52-30).
