By Marc Thaler
Staff Writer

John Stark senior co-captain Ben Glover goes up for two in the opening minutes of action against Bow center Mike Chergey. Glover missed the shot, but scored 23 points, including seven three-pointers, in a 77-69 loss on Friday, Feb. 11. (Marc Thaler Photo)

BOW – It’s the little things that mean the difference between dream seasons and respectable campaigns.

Visiting the Bow Falcons, JS proved a tough out, but eventually dropped a 77-69 decision on Friday, Feb. 11, in a contest much closer than the final score indicated.

“We struggle in the sense that we’re too much a team of highs and lows,” said Mike Smith, John Stark head coach and Class I Coach of the Year. “And we’re not putting teams away yet.”

The little things, Smith added, include scoring that clutch basket in late-game situations, forcing that key stop on defense and keeping the opposition’s point total to a much more palatable number.

After taking Bow’s best body blows – highlighted by a 24-point first half from Falcons’ star Mike Chergey – the Generals found themselves holding a 51-47 lead with less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Despite forcing their hosts to make several hasty decisions, however, Stark couldn’t stop the Falcons’ final surge.

A similar scenario unfolded against Kearsarge on Tuesday, Feb. 8, Smith said, where his boys held a lead, but labored to a 76-73 victory.

“We’re not gonna beat teams when we play in the 70s too often,” Smith said.

The John Stark coach stressed his team is close. Still, “close” will only get the Generals to a certain point.

“Literally, I think we’re a team that’s maybe one (defensive) stop away from beating a team like Bow or Hollis(/Brookline) or some of these better teams,” Smith said. “We’re right in that second echelon right now. I think we’re one of the better teams in that second echelon. But obviously our goal for the end of the year is to be in the top four.”

Having taken several of these same John Stark players to the Class I title round a year ago, Smith offered a few thoughts after the loss at Bow – a game played with plenty of playoff intensity.

Smith told his team the Friday night defeat should serve as a yardstick by which the Generals can measure themselves.

John Stark played well against the front-running Falcons. But if the Generals were competing at a championship level in Bow, Smith said his guys would’ve won the game.

“I think this team is for real,” the JS coach said of his squad. “But we’ve gotta find ways to finish teams off.

“When we do (the little things), we can beat the best teams in (Class) I,” Smith added. “But we don’t want to be that nice little team that’s close and works really hard, but doesn’t get it done. That’s not something we’re interested in being. We’re far too competitive.”

Game notes
Senior co-captains Ben Glover and Bill Clarke, plus junior Kyle Arsenault, led the John Stark scoring attack, combining for 50 points.

Glover led the way with 23 points, including seven threepointers, while holding Bow standout Paul Chergey to eight points on the night.

“He’s been coming around,” Smith said of Glover. “He’s really stepped up as a senior leader.”

Arsenault added 14 points and Clarke chipped in with 13.