New Hampshire’s first NHIAA boys basketball champion has been crowned with the Gilford Golden Eagles stunning the Mascoma [Canaan] Royals Saturday evening in overtime by a score of 57-55.
Mascoma entered the game ranked No. 1 in the latest edition of the MaxPreps state rankings for the Granite State, and the Royals appeared to be cruising to the championship, leading the Golden Eagles 40-25 at the end of the third quarter. But Gilford – ranked No. 2 in those state rankings – refused to go away, mounting a furious fourth-quarter rally to pull within two at 48-46 with just 3.5 seconds remaining in regulation.
Owen Hawkins then calmly sank two free throws with just 3.5 seconds to complete a 23-8 fourth quarter for Gilford, sending the game to overtime tied at 48-all. Hawkins then played the hero again near the end of overtime when he again sank two free throws to give the Golden Eagles a 57-55 lead.
That would turn out to be the final margin when Mascoma’s Aidan Hemmerling missed a desperation heave at the buzzer.
With the NHIAA’s Division III title in the books, attention turns to the state’s other divisions. The Division IV field has been winnowed down from 16 teams to four with the semifinals set for Monday, March 2. The Division I and Division II championships will follow later in March with both of those tournaments set to begin next week.
The Portsmouth Clippers are the top-ranked team in New Hampshire’s premier Division I ranks, but they are only ranked No. 7 in those MaxPreps state rankings. Other top-ranked teams by division, include the No. 5 Littleton Crusaders of Division IV and the Hollis-Brookline Cavaliers of Division II.
STREAM: Watch New Hampshire’s NHIAA boys basketball playoffs on NHFS Network
NHIAA Division I bracket, schedule and results
2026 NHIAA Boys Basketball State Championships (New Hampshire) Division I
NHIAA Division II bracket, schedule and results
2026 NHIAA Boys Basketball State Championships (New Hampshire) Division II
NHIAA Division III bracket, schedule and results
2026 NHIAA Boys Basketball State Championships (New Hampshire) Division III
NHIAA Division IV bracket, schedule and results
2026 NHIAA Boys Basketball State Championships (New Hampshire) Division IV
